Re: Altruistic Registries?

["Leo Smith" <barter@ntplx.net>]

Chris Ambler wrote:
>> crying "evil capitalist" doesn't go very far
>> either. If it were not for these "evil greedy bastards," there 
>> would be no new registries at all. Who else is going to spend the
>> money to start one?

To which Phil Nesser replied:
>I think that you will find numerous non-profit groups would be willing to
>run registries for the overall good of the net.  I even suspect that you
>will find large companies whose lifeblood is the net, like the major ISP's
>or software/hardware companies, willing to run registries.  If you were
>good I bet that there are even private foundations whose goal is to
promote
>technology you could convince to give you a grant to run a registry.

Comment:
Phil...Your speculations do have merit...and it is very possible that all
of the above could end up happening. There's nothing wrong with setting up
an altruistic based registry system funded by donations. I have two
comments:

1) The Need to Choose Between Altruistic versus For Profit Registry Models.

If IAHC determines that the best way to serve the needs of the Internet is
in the form of the altruistic based registry system, then IAHC should
declare the altruistic based registry system as its model or objective, and
should devise the mechanics of the necessary support system to cover
registry setup and operating costs. IAHC could impose, for example, a user
tax to be paid at the time of registration, with the tax collected to be
pooled and then apportioned to approved non profit registries to cover the
financial costs of running the registry. The altruistic model is totally
OK...there's absolutely nothing wrong with it, if IAHC determines that the
best interests of the Internet are served using this model. If, on the
other hand, IAHC chooses not to go with the Altruistic model, and instead
chooses to support a For Profit Registry model, then proposed system must
incorporate a means for offering a return on the investment capital that
For Profit companies will be required spend on the startup and operational
expenses associated with the registry. 

2) Non-Profit versus For-Profit...Is there a difference?

While the term Non-Profit elicits images of self sacrifice in the name of a
higher good, in reality Non-Profit organizations operate so much like
For-Profit businesses that a sound argument can be made for doing away with
Non-Profits' tax exempt status. For anyone interested in  exploring the
legal issues involved, you may want to visit the Villanova Law site and
read "For-Profit and Non-Profit Organizations: Is it Time to Start Taxing
"Like" Entities Alike?" at
http://www.law.vill.edu:80/vill.tax.l.compen/index.html