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Re: Reexamining premises (was Re: UN plans to take over our job!)

2005-09-30 16:06:15
    > From: John C Klensin <john-ietf(_at_)jck(_dot_)com>

    > there are definitely forces within the WSIS process that believe that
    > the IETF has outlived its usefulness, that the development of Internet
    > protocols and technical standards has become too important to be left
    > to a bunch of undisciplined volunteer engineers (that is pretty close
    > to a quote)

Far be it from me to defend the IETF (of which I don't have that high an
opinion these days), but the historical irony here is a bit too rich for me to
pass up.

Those with very long memories will remember when the Internet Working Group
(the predecessor to the IETF) was told, by another international body, to
"roll up their their toy academic network and take it home" (again, pretty
close to a quote, but I'm going from memory here; perhaps someone else can
correct my undoubtly-failing memory).

I don't know what the IETF will-be/is-being replaced by, but one thing I
think you can bet on it *not* being replaced by is some standards body
blessed by a bunch of international bureacrats acting at the behest of their
governments.

Been there, done that.

        Noel

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