[address-policy-wg] Re: ICANN vs RIPE NCC, was Re: Summary of the PI ......

On Tue, Aug 12, 2003 at 03:36:19PM +0100, Peter Galbavy wrote:

> How is the IETF funded ? The IETF doesn't do addressing, but seems to exist
> without me paying for it.

Nope.

You just pay in less obvious ways. Companies that sponsor their workers' 
trips to IETF meetings and their time doing IETF stuff grab the money
when you buy their products. Which is pretty much what RIPE does, they
just don't hide it behind "overhead expenses" as much.

> In this instance, IMHO, academics should be funded
> by academic models 

In the best of all worlds, yes. However, I am quite certain I am not the
only one living in a country in which the government tend to find other
uses for money than basic research.

> and maybe by corporate sponsorship,

that's pretty much what happens now, isn't it?

OK, that's not what you meant, but corporate sponsorships rarely go to
those that can't point clearly to the general use the results might
have. 

> they should not leach
> off "us" by the back door. BTW RIPE is not a government department funded by
> taxpayers, else it would be subject to audits by higher bodies, not by the
> collective apathy of a membership.

True. I am not saying that I find everything about the membership-ocraty
great. I am just saying that I, for one, don't think research is a bad
way to use some of the money we pay.

> I was asked in this instance to not repeat names as one of the people was
> not available to approve the release of information they collected. I am
> happy to support people who wish to speak up.

Sure. But FOAF is bad argumentation. Especially on the net.

> Using this metaphor, RIPE has a monopoly on traffic signs and road numbers.
> I can build a road, but I cannot join it to the rest of the public road
> network without their involvement.

True. You are however welcome to dig tunnels under their roads. (layer
2)

NAh, this is getting silly, let's forget the analogies: Of course (and
out of necessity) RIPE has a monopoly on IP space. Anything else is an 
academic exercise.

Peter B. Juul, 
Uni·C (PBJ255-RIPE)