Re: .eur anyone?

[Jim Dixon <jdd@matthew.uk1.vbc.net>]

On Sat, 6 Dec 1997, Stephen Harris wrote:

> In a recent message, Jim Dixon said:
> > On Fri, 5 Dec 1997, Steve Kennedy wrote:
> > > However I'm sure Demon would want to join, we are not members of an ISPA,
> > > we didn't particularly think the ISPA represented our customer's views.
> 
> > Under the ground rules discussed so far, you could join any association
> > that you wished -- or you could organize one with narrowly defined 
> 
> As an independent in this side discussion, it should be noted that a large
> number of ISP's refused to join the ISPA back when it was formed a couple of
> years ago.  Arguements given included "non representative nature" etc.

Before ISPA UK was formed the only commercial Internet body in this 
country was the LINX, which had a dozen or so members and tough membership
rules.  For some people in the LINX, ISPA represented the mob thumping on
their doors; not a few people in ISPA regarded the LINX as an evil cartel.

It was a very political time; several other groups were also formed to 
represent the industry or some fraction of the industry, struggled, and
disappeared.  

Things have changed considerably since then.  ISPA's membership now includes
a full spectrum of the UK industry, including the largest on-line service
providers (AOL, Compuserve), the largest backbone providers, dozens of 
small to midsize providers, Web design and hosting services, and even 
law firms with an interest in the Internet.
 
> I really have no idea how the ISPA has grown over the past 2 years.  Maybe
> it does now represent the interests of ISPs.  Maybe...

ISPA UK's aim is not just to represent the interest of UK ISPs, but of 
all of those involved in the business.  While ISPA's one-vote-per-member
policy put off some of the larger ISPs in the past, this concern has 
generally faded.


NOTE:
1.  VBCnet was a member of the LINX before ISPA was formed and
were one of the founding members of ISPA UK.  We are active in both;
we regard their roles as complementary.

2.  The term "ISPA" is sometimes used to mean ISPA UK and sometimes
used to mean "a member or associate member of EuroISPA."  

--
Jim Dixon                                                 Managing Director
VBCnet GB Ltd                http://www.vbc.net        tel +44 117 929 1316
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
   "The louder he talked of his honor, the faster we counted our spoons."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Member of Council                                                 President
Internet Services Providers Association                       EuroISPA EEIG
http://www.ispa.org.uk                              http://www.euroispa.org