RE: [ALSC-Forum] A query

[Bruce Young]

Jan wrote:

>I concur 100% with these views, but others will probably point out that
>ICANN's "mandate" only deals with domain names, and to include social and
>political themes, as important as they are, would be a major "rescoping" of
>ICANN.  Whether the Board as currently charged could even take up these
>issues is doubtful.  Esther Dyson "slapped" me verbally just for bringing
>them up on this Forum.

You cannot divorce technical decisions from their social consequences.  To
claim otherwise is morally bankrupt!  Ask the manufacturers who provided
Zyklon B to those that perpetrated the Holocaust, or the scientists who
created the atomic bomb!   It is wholly appropriate to be against a
technology that threatens the good of society, no matter how eleganly
implemented.  And such technology will surely become an issue for
consideration within ICANN (in fact it already has, as I pointed out!).  So
Esther's position notwithstanding, discussing it in this forum, and indeed
in the ICANN boardroom, is decidedly on topic!  And when discussing it, it
is essential that voices other than those enamored of elegant technology for
its own sake are represented on the board!

>Then you must not be aware of the daily "All Things Considered" segment on
>your local PBS radio affiliate!  Just yesterday, ATC did an extended
segment
>on Webcasting, and how it peaked back in the early months of this year;
since
>then, station after station has ceased its Webcasting efforts, except for
>some whose formats are still dominated by talk radio.  (The court decision
>that mandated that music artists must be compensated when their copyrighted
>music is "Webcast" had much to to with that.)  ATC also mentioned that PBS'
>own Webcasting has been affected by the decision.

Not from that source, no.  But I read 8 technical publications and over 30
technical newsletter at last count to keep up on technology professionally,
so I often hear about such decisions.  Sadly, these sources often do what
the controlling interests in ICANN would like to do: focus on the
technology, like kids examining a new toy, without considering its
consequences to society.  This is a common failing in this industry, and one
I try to disabuse whenever I can.   I admire elegantly implemented
technology as well as any techie.  However, I am ever mindful that, as
professionals, we are responsible to whatever God we believe in and our
fellow citizens to insure the technology we implement furthers the good in
society, rather than harm it.  To do less is unprofessional at best, and a
unforgiveable sin at worst!


Bruce Young
Portland, Oregon
byoung651@home.com
http://members.home.net/byoung651/index.html