Hi Keith --- You are getting closer to understanding what is going on.
Someone has previously noted that the real control point of the "."
is in the hands of all the individual users of the DNS, who as I have
pointed out "Vote Early and Often" for their favorite root service.
While most of them are docile and just do what someone says to do to
make their computer work on the net, more and more of them are
getting the message that doing so is neither necessary nor
appropriate to their usage objectives.
So, in some ways you are correct that we are doing it to assert our
rights as Internet Users objecting to the dictatorial modes of DNS
"management" if anyone can call what DoC and ICANN are doing
"management";-)...
But, I want to pick one nit with your statement.
ORSC is not doing any of this just to be disruptive and contrary.
Speaking correctly, ORSC is not running an "alt root" in any way that
resembles what those who claimed to be running "Alt" Roots did when
they were active.
ICANN and others persist in using the term "alt" in large part
because they want to tag present efforts of ORSC with the past
nonsense of the earlier "Alt" efforts.
In the place of those rather destructive efforts from the early days,
ORSC has managed to eliminate all conflicts among the non-ICANN TLDs,
except for those cases when ICANN has deliberately created new TLDs
in conflict with existing ORSC TLDs.
We are still trying to find a way to discuss these remaining issues
with the involved parties to seek resolution.
The current ORSC behavior and policies are fully in keeping with the
notion that conflicting DNS names are a bad thing given the present
condition of the DNS system standards, and we have dedicated a lot of
effort in the task of removing conflicts by working with the
conflicting parties to resolve the conflicts and reduce them to
single TLD registries.
Were we to join the ICANN efforts to just stamp them out, the
situation would be much much worse with simple anarchy ruling the DNS.
So, we would all appreciate you help in setting the record straight
with regard to whether ORSC is advocating "Alt" roots.
Thanks for your suppoort;-)...\Stef
At 2:33 PM -0400 8/2/02, Keith Moore wrote:
> The US DoC operates, directly or indirectly, 6 of the 13 root servers,
> including A. Whether it is "right" or not is irrelevant -- the DoC has
> the power to do whatever it wants to the root.
we REALLY need to rectify that situation. perhaps what we need are large
numbers of alternate roots that DON'T try to define new TLDs but which
exist solely to prevent the US government from exerting control...
Keith