[Membership] Re: Esther Dyson / ICANN Board

[edyson@edventure.com (Esther Dyson)]

John -

Thanks for your comments, which I am copying to the ICANN membership
committee. I agree with you about the importance of ISPs in the work of
ICANN, although that may not translate directly into our membership
structure, which we are working on (please check out our Website and add
your comments at www.icann.org). However, it does translate directly into
whom we are trying to reach and get input from as we move forward.  You make
a lot of valid points, and we are interested in hearing more from ISPs
directly and through ISP organizations such as CIX. 

Esther Dyson

 At 09:37 AM 08/02/99 -0500, John D. Goodspeed wrote:
>To: Esther Dyson and The Board of Directors, ICANN
>
>All Internet Service Providers (ISP) should themselves become automatic
>members of the ICANN.
>
>I believe that the Internet Service Provider (ISP) may be best suited to
>represent the needs of the Internet community at the local, regional,
>national and international level. Currently there are several thousand
>independent ISP's operating worldwide. They already offer diversity of
>representation, some cater to web sites, some to access, some offer very low
>cost basic service, others offer very fast service at a price premium. The
>simply fact is that ISP's are the Internet user's primary contact, period.
>There in no practical way that a typical Internet end user would take the
>time to figure out how to communicate with an appointed ICANN board
>member in a meaningful way.
>
>It is of paramount importance that the ICANN incorporate the thoughts of
>all ISP's who, in reality, are most in touch with today's Internet concerns
>and needs as voiced directly to them every day by the Internet using public.
>
>Actual ISP business practices and customer bases are so diverse that the
>Internet community would be better served by having every ISP directly
>represent their views and those of their constituent users directly to the
>ICANN.
>
>ISP's operate in a world of extreme competition and low profit margins and
>thus can be counted upon to make reasonable representation on issues that
>involve price versus performance. Virtually all Internet decisions will boil
>down to cost to implement versus performance gained and I feel that ISP's
>are in the best position to understand these economic issues.
>
>The ISP may well be in a better position to understand Internet issues and
>to represent actual end users of the Internet than would be an arm chair
>academic or purely political representative or others of the select elite.
>The current practice of the ICANN to select its board members from what
>it considers to be the Internet intelligentcia is a form of elitist thinking
>of a strikingly socialist nature.
>
>I would say that all ISP organizations whether they be private, public or
>government entities should automatically become dues paying ICANN
>members. These ISP's are the actual entities which pay for the ongoing
>building of the Internet itself. To deprive the actual owners and builders
>of the Internet infrastructure the right to self determination and direct
>representation within the ICANN is both unnatural and improper.
>
>Of course, academic and political jurisdictions should be represented as
>well, however I stress that it would be improper for the ICANN to make
>decisions based upon their input without the consideration of the entire ISP
>community who are, after all, the world's frontline, first contact with the
>Internet.
>
>It would be unreasonable for the ICANN to make decisions without input
>from the entire ISP community because without the ISP's "real world input"
>decisions could be made that would prove to be restrictive, monopolistic,
>expensive or simply impossible to implement.
>
>Thank you for your consideration, and I would like to have your comments.
>
>John D. Goodspeed
>


Esther Dyson			Always make new mistakes!
chairman, EDventure Holdings
interim chairman, Internet Corp. for Assigned Names & Numbers
edyson@edventure.com
1 (212) 924-8800
1 (212) 924-0240 fax
104 Fifth Avenue (between 15th and 16th Streets; 20th floor)
New York, NY 10011 USA
http://www.edventure.com

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