Re: Unbiased Neutral Forum

[usdh@mailhub1.ncal.verio.com (steve)]

Jay wrote,

<snip>

>Both groups represent legitimate stakeholders.  They both see
>the world from different and often irreconcilable positions.  And
>they both need to reach a consensus to get past this roadblock.
>
>So my message is simple.  Let's recognize our differences, and
>let's work towards a consensus anyway.  IANA/ISOC stakeholders
>attending GIAW is the first step towards moving this process
>forward.

<snip>

Steve:
        You and I both attended the eDNS Charter meeting in Atlanta and
learned first-hand how much consensus was achieved from *within* one of the
two groups that you mention above, (and there were only 12 people in
attendance!)
        With at least one hundred attendees, the GIAW meeting will be like
the 'eDNS meeting on steriods', and that would only represent the
"capitalistic" side of the world view (freemarketeers, private companies,
etc.).  Mix in the viewpoint of the socialists (academia and engineering),
and what the GIAW represents is the DNS equivalent of Reagan/Gorbachev's
Helsinki Summit, but with 85-100 different agendas instead of 2.
        As another 'first step', (how many are going to be needed?) this
can actually get the ball rolling down one of a number of different paths,
at which point, the process will be left to those who have, or want to
expend, the resources to continue to fund their continued participation in
the process.
        What is missing is a vision for how the process is going to provide
SERVICE to people, which means to all subsets in the entire system: all
people, all languages, across all geography, and within all economic
systems and governmental systems.  In a visual and cognitive medium like
Internet, the only way to achieve successful consensus across all subsets
is to focus on building a framework which is consistent with the rules
which apply to all of the above, the superset.
        The Superset is very simply...humanity. The rules to apply are the
Laws of Nature.  Harmonizing those rules for the 85-100 constituents will
result in the only consensus which can exist over the long haul...a
framework of service based upon one individual internet user (multiply by
the number of users).  Anything less than that won't fly in the long term,
(although it might seem to fly in the short term).
        A document like a Constitution, with its emphasis on rights,
freedoms, property ownership and individual protection is the only thing
that will work, over time.  That's why a Constitutionally supported,
Congressionally-charted federal Trust (like the Presidio Trust) is an
appropriate framework for doing what needs to be done.
        It should be recognized that under a deadline, it's hard for people
to think long term.  Two days is too short, but like you said, a start.


Stephen J. Page
MBA OD BSc
U.S. Data Highway Corp.
usdh@ccnet.com
T: 925-454-8624 F: 925-484-0448