Re:Rhizome

[Bob Allisat <bob@wtv.net>]

Stephen Cole wrote:
> The rhizome, being without a centre, lacking a unifying,
> hierarchical, tree-like structure, is an alternative and very
> powerful model for growth. It represents the way the Internet
> was first envisaged, its unique grace being that it lacked a
> centre.
> .
> But I suppose there always was a centre in the Naming Authority.
> Even a rambling root system has the ground as a common medium
> through which it extends itself, and a common DNA command line
> that very much determines how it proceeds.
>  .
> I like Bob's vision very much, of the thousands of inter-connected
> subsystems. But such "anarchy" must be worrying to some. When
> faced with a largely uncontrolled organism, it's natural to want
> to get a grip on it, to contain it within manageable parameters.
> And that need has worked well, in some senses, throughout our
> history. If I am not the master myself, it is nevertheless
> comforting to know that someone has mastery over this thing.
> But it is often the case that such comfort comes at the cost
> of stultification and decay.

 We must recall that everyone proposing
 alternative Domain Name Registries has
 supported a clean and robust technical 
 "soil" for all parties to co-exist within.
 The standards Alternic (for example) has
 promulagated in the past in relation to
 servers, software and connectivity were
 of the highest standards. Indeed surpassing
 even those set by the current standard
 setting 13 global root servers!

 So... on the point of striving to maintain
 an inviolate common ground these people
 cannot be faulted. I saw with my own eyes
 redundant Alternic servers plugged via
 fibre optic directly to the backbone. And
 that was here in Toronto and also New York,
 Chicago, etc. No DNS terrorism here!

 FACT: There are no technical objections or
 hurdles to instantly creating thousands of
 new Domain Name registries. That is according
 to the IETF. My opinion is that in the same
 way there are countless ISPs all of which
 operate under fairly stringent technical
 standards similarly Domain Name Registries
 can be as diverse. Internic, Alternic, any
 darned nic! Set the tech standards and
 otherwise no-one (save the public!) can
 determine who is/is not an ISP or DNR.

 We are not talking revolution here. Evolution
 is what we are witnessing. An application of
 an existing and highly successful "rhizomic"
 model of net.communications. ISPs, DNRs IP#R's
 all governed by simple, common, high technical
 guidelines. Not cartels and silliness. Facts.

 And thank you all who read my words and not
 my rather colourful past into everything -
 though of both I am quite proud of! Your
 occaisional words of support make a differance
 if in morale alone. Visit my recently renovated
 personal home page at www.wtv.net/allisat for
 some fun. And drop in on my company site listed
 below if you want to see some business ideas
 for the future. Otherwise on with the matter
 at hand...

 Let us strive for harmony and consensus. Let
 us resist what the old commies called "hegemony"
 and encourage diveristy, de-centralized power
 structures and liberty within mutually agreed
 upon and quite reasonable TECHNICAL limitations.

 Thank you for this moment of your lives.

 TeleVirtually Yours,

 Bob Allisat

 Director, World TeleVirtual Network             http://www.wtv.net
 PO Box 191 St E Toronto Canada M6H 4E2                 info@wtv.net