ICANN Ad Hoc

This is awkward. On one hand, there is no reason why my post as an internet
citizen needs to be cross-posted here. On the other hand, I'm the chair of
WEIRD and it seems like some might expect me to share this in the interests
of a fully open debate, even though it is already in the public record. Ah,
politics - gotta love it.

I posted the following message this morning ion the ICANN web site, in
response to their call for public commment on the Ad Hoc charter. I
encourage you to voice your opinions as well, if so inclined. Yesterday was
an election day for many of us in the U.S. and we consider this one of our
fundamental rights.

Anyway, the words were chosen carefully - the WEIRD charter says we can't
interpret trends, but doesn't bar us from identifying them. Charter says
audience is internet generalists, which is broad enough to include the
press. There is no endorsement here of the ICANN Ad Hoc, only the hope that
if they are established they will work with (not against or independently
of) the IETF and specifically WEIRD. Clearly identified as individual
opinion.

We abide by our charter, and our official work products remain the result of
our collaborative efforts and rough consensus, as always. I hope that we
will have a productive and appropriately scoped discussion on this issue in
the days leading up to IETF 46, as well as in the working group session.

Chris
---
Nick: Chris Burke
Date/Time: Wed, November 3, 1999 at 8:54 AM PDT (Wed, November 3, 1999 at
8:54 AM PDT)
Subject: Relationship / Liaison of Ad Hoc to IETF WEIRD WG
Message:

Hi! This is an individual comment, in no way is it meant to represent the
opinions of my employer, my working group, the IETF, or any other
organization with which I am affiliated etc. etc. You get the idea.

I chair the Web Elucidation of Internet Related Developments (yes, that
acronyms to WEIRD) working group of the IETF. The charter of this
established working group, which proposes to use web media to make
information about the workings of the IETF more accessible to the press and
public, is posted at http://www.ietf.org/html.charters/weird-charter.html.
Our mailing list is [email protected].

There could be significant, beneficial overlap between the objectives of the
ICANN Ad Hoc and the objectives of IETF-WEIRD. We have made every effort to
charter WEIRD responsibly, to avoid undue speculation in its work products.
I (individually) consider it within the scope of WEIRD's charter to attempt
to identify trends in internet evolution driven by both environmental
factors and the architectural philosophy of the sitting IESG / IAB, as a
framework within which the relationships among various IETF activities can
be... ahem... elucidated.

With this in mind I have added discussion of the proposed ICANN Ad Hoc to
the agenda of the WEIRD WG at IETF 46 next week in Washington, DC. In the
event that the ICANN Ad Hoc is established, I (individually) have high hopes
for the benefits of close collaboration between this Ad Hoc and the IETF
WEIRD working group.

Regards,

Chris Burke
Seattle, WA