Re: [ALSC-Forum] Esther Dyson's SF Gate article

[Esther Dyson]

amazing, since I wrote only one book!

Esther

At 07:34 14.06.01, Jeff Williams wrote:
>Thomas and all stakeholders,
>
>Thomas Roessler wrote:
>
> > Alexander Svensson pointed out to me that www.atlargestudy.org has a
> > somewhat hidden link to an article of Esther Dyson, "Challenges for
> > domain managers", which is available
> > 
> here:http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2001/05/27/BU171918.DTL&type=printable>
>
>   This is one of several of Esthers "Writings".  Rather disjointed in 
> it's presentation.
>And pretty much follows her line of thinking for her other disjointed 
>"Writings"
>as well.  I have read two of Eshters books (Not top ten sellers to be sure).
>
>
> >
> >
> > In this article, Esther gives a short outline of the Committee's
> > work, and tells the reader about some ideas on what user
> > participation in ICANN may look like.  She writes that "what ICANN
> > needs ultimately is the equivalent of political parties.  Perhaps a
> > No New TLDs party, [more examples]". These parties should then
> > organize themselves, "without permission or direction from ICANN".
>
>    This is one place where I agree with Esther.  However it doesn't seem to
>match another part of this same "Writing" of hers.  To wit: "ICANN still 
>faces new challenges, among them
>New.net, a private company that is end-running ICANN's domain
>name system with a somewhat incompatible approach. If ICANN does its job 
>right, it will prevail on the basis
>of a more attractive system, not on the basis of its own limited
>powers."
>
> >
> >
> > Esther then notes that this approach would of course be an
> > experiment, "but a marketplace for ideas is a lot better than one
> > for people", she says.
> >
> > I'm wondering how this construction fits with current official ICANN
> > "theology", according to which the board is mostly executing
> > consensus achieved within the supporting organizations, which are
> > supposed to actually make policy.
> >
> > Doesn't a markeplace for ideas - which is ultimately used for the
> > selection of board members - at the same time imply that still more
> > policy should be handled at the board level, not at the SO level?
>
>   No I don't think so.  And the White Paper as well as  the MoU
>also are not in agreement with this sort of policy making process,
>Thomas.  Yet we see the ICANN BoD making policy in this manner
>in direct conflict with the White Paper and the MoU.
>
> >
> >
> > Doesn't the original design of ICANN _require_ a marketplace for
> > people for the nomination of directors, in order to gather the
> > necessary expertise on the board?
>
>   Yes it does.  Yet this piece is still missing, and no funds have been
>set aside for the next @large election.
>
> >  Doesn't it, in fact, require the
> > directors _not_ to pursue just their own ideas and interests, but
> > what's best for the community, and what's the community's consensus?
>
>   Yes it does.  Yet again the ICANN BoD especially while Esther
>was the COB, doesn't and did not do this at all...  So one has to wonder
>what her real motives are, and how she could be really and independent
>member of this committee now...
>
> >
> >
> > Note that I don't think that Esther's ideas are bad just because
> > they seem to contradict ICANN's original design.  I'm just wondering
> > what kind of design is actually more practicable, and which one is
> > better in terms of transparency, accountability, and creating the
> > best results.
>
>   Transparency by definition really requires openness, as does accountability
>for the most part.  The MoU provides for this openness, yet from almost the
>beginning the ICANN BoD has yet to be open to any and all "Interested
>Parties" as the White Paper and the MoU require.  As such, the ICANN
>BoD and yes, Esther Dyson as well, are not and have not been in
>compliance with their contractual requirements to date and made/imposed
>policy that has greatly effected a huge number of stakeholders and future
>stakeholders.
>
> >
> >
> > What do you folks think?
> >
> > --
> > Thomas Roessler                        http://log.does-not-exist.org/
>
>Regards,
>
>--
>Jeffrey A. Williams
>Spokesman for INEGroup - (Over 118k members strong!)
>CEO/DIR. Internet Network Eng/SR. Java/CORBA Development Eng.
>Information Network Eng. Group. INEG. INC.
>E-Mail jwkckid1@ix.netcom.com
>Contact Number:  972-447-1800 x1894 or 214-244-4827
>Address: 5 East Kirkwood Blvd. Grapevine Texas 75208



Esther Dyson			Always make new mistakes!
chairman, EDventure Holdings
writer, Release 3.0 (on Website below)
edyson@edventure.com
1 (212) 924-8800    --   fax  1 (212) 924-0240
104 Fifth Avenue (between 15th and 16th Streets; 20th floor)
New York, NY 10011 USA
http://www.edventure.com

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