[ga] The Authority of the TLDA and other root organizations

[Joe Baptista <baptista@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

To begin -  I support the statements made by Jeff Morfin to Mr. 
Teernstra.  But I think we need some clarification over the term authority.
At this time in DNS history there is no authority given to any root by 
any organization.  This includes ICANN who assume they have authority 
based on a false monopoly.  As I said years ago that monopoly never 
existed.  Any monopoly that does exist is false and dependent on user 
ignorance.  This we have seen as ICANNs attempts to control internet 
naming infrastructure have failed.  Again much of the failure is based 
on user ignorance.
Internet protocols are by their engineering are transparent and 
controlled ultimately by the end user.  This rule applies to DNS as it 
applies to any other protocol - more or less.  In the beggining when the 
authoritative file was controlled by Jon Postel we had once unique 
internet naming system.  99.99% of internet users at that time were 
ignorant of the options available as they are today and back then 99.99% 
of Internet users were navigating using the IANA/ICANN root zone.  But 
this has changed dramatically and although 99.99% of internet users are 
still ignorant of their options only 80% or less use the ICANN zone file 
for navigation today.
ICANNs failure to make itself easily available as an open system for TLD 
registrations is mainly responsible for this errosion and the internet 
fractures resulting.  Today users in china and participating countries 
no longer use the ICANN zone.  The great wall of china now has their own 
national DNS for alternative TLDs.  A number of arab countries have gone 
in the same direction.  Turkey is an inclusive name space zone.  And 
other countries are walking away from ICANN in favour of local or 
national root systems that better serve their people.
So this argument about authority is really a red herring.  The TLDA is 
simply an organization in which a number of participants have given it 
the authority to produce an authoritative root zone file that supports 
the Inclusive Name Space.  This name space unlike the ICANN zone 
incorporates all root zones.  Essentially the file addresses and 
corrects existing internet fractures.
I hope that helps to clarify the issue for you.

cheers
joe baptista


JFC Morfin wrote:

> Dear Joop,
> is there an authority to decide for the world if Picasso is a great or 
> a bad painter? Naming is of the same nature. ICANN is only a Guide 
> which tells the price it advises to pay Picasso painting. The TLDA is 
> only a painter association. The MINC is a critic. What is missing is a 
> Membuser (there are no member and we are indirect users) association 
> to discuss with all of them. When you introduced the IDNO you only had 
> the ICANN/DNSO welcome structure, open to constituencies.
> Today we have the IGF, covering every ICANN issue and more, which 
> works by Dynamic Coalition. If you want to join in the creation of an 
> ICANN-GA Dynamic Coalition interested in the ICANN general management 
> within the emerging new Internet Governance, you welcome. So is 
> everyone else.
> jfc
>
>
> At 09:06 29/09/2007, Joop Teernstra wrote:
>
>
> > Joe and John,
> >
> > You illustrate my point.
> >
> > Once more: the question is
> >
> > Where is the *universally accepted* (treaty?) authority that confers 
> > legitimacy on any "Root authority"  or "central INS authority"?
> >
> > The snippet of TLDA bylaws  is not all that clear about making the 
> > TLDA an "authority" rather than a Trade Association that purports to 
> > make public an authoritative *file*.
> >
> > -joop-

--
Joe Baptista                                www.publicroot.org
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