if they'd been acting in the Internet community's interests then NSI
would have lost control of the root years ago.
Network Solutions (and its acquirer, VeriSign) do not "control the
root". VeriSign Global Registry Services generates the root zone twice
a day, but the contents of the root zone do not change without the
blessing of the US DoC.
and the US DoC makes sure that VeriSign continues to have a monopoly
on the most popular gTLDs and the ability to exact tribute from those
who have names in those TLDs. perfect arrangement.
Keith