[ncc-services-wg] New on RIPE Labs: RIPE NCC and the Cloud - Let’s Start Again

On 28 Jun 2021, at 14:13, Saku Ytti wrote:

> … It is also inefficient de-facto monopoly with massive mission 
> creep. …

Saku,

You sneered. Here is my response in your terms:

The RIPE NCC is a pretty bottom-up de-facto monopoly. Its mission creep 
is steered by RIPE. In fact this very working group is the major venue 
for steering the mission creep. Anyone can participate here and we will 
never know they are a dog.

Let’s follow the money: the mission creep is funded by the 
*membership* of the RIPE NCC *association*. Sure, the vast majority of 
the membership probably are paying members because of the de-facto 
monopoly. Yet they have full control of the mission creep because they 
control the association. They elect the board. The board hires and fires 
the CEO and controls the budget. The membership even votes on how they 
are charged.

This is a pretty good way to organise a de-facto monopoly and manage its 
mission creep. If you think it is massive and worth more than a sneer, 
see above for ways to engage.

Daniel

Full disclosure: I am one of the founders of RIPE and one of the 
designers of the RIPE NCC association. I have been working for the RIPE 
NCC for almost 30 years; the first 7 years as the director (CEO) and 
since then as Chief Scientist. Before that I was one of the people wo 
proposed a plan to avoid the de-facto monopolies in this area to the US 
National Science Foundation; they did not buy the plan and they were 
probably right.