We see here a tension between two goals, engineering the Internet and making
standards for the Internet. In most cases, the two goals are easily reconciled
, as open standards are an essential part of an open Internet. But here we have
a conflict. On one hand, good engineering would mean, setting the best possible
example in matters such as security and privacy. On the other hand, public
standard making seem to require a very controlled participation process, in
which participants have effectively no privacy. Of the two goals, I think we
would be much better off emphasizing engineering and downsizing process. The
Internet did not develop because the IETF had better processes than the ITU. It
developed because we cared about making the best possible network!
-- Christian Huitema