Comments on: The dotcom contract and dangerous USG myopia http://kierenmccarthy.com/2006/12/01/the-dotcom-contract-and-dangerous-usg-myopia/ News and views on domain names, the Internet and life in general Wed, 18 Apr 2012 18:11:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: The dotcom contract and dangerous USG myopia :: Newstack http://kierenmccarthy.com/2006/12/01/the-dotcom-contract-and-dangerous-usg-myopia/comment-page-1/#comment-8328 The dotcom contract and dangerous USG myopia :: Newstack Sat, 02 Dec 2006 10:29:21 +0000 http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2006/12/01/the-dotcom-contract-and-dangerous-usg-myopia/#comment-8328 [...] Read more: here [...] [...] Read more: here [...]

]]> By: Kieren http://kierenmccarthy.com/2006/12/01/the-dotcom-contract-and-dangerous-usg-myopia/comment-page-1/#comment-8327 Kieren Sat, 02 Dec 2006 10:18:09 +0000 http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2006/12/01/the-dotcom-contract-and-dangerous-usg-myopia/#comment-8327 Hey Kev, Well this is where I wish I know more people in Washington. Where I'm confused is how much power Congress can influence over the DoC in the *real world*. My understanding of the DoC is that, like most arms covering business in government, it has a much more relaxed, pragmatic, business view of the world. And the DoC has been showing signs of understanding that for its own sake, the US has to hand over this troublesome control of the Net which provides nothing but headaches for comparatively little reward. But the Congressional meetings and the huge political lobbying that has been going on on both sides - CFIT, GoDaddy et al on one side and ole bruiser VeriSign on the other - have skewed the process. So I *think* once it becomes such a big politicial issue, the DoC has little choice but to find a way through the politicial warfield. As a result, the policy was decided more by Congress than the DoC. But even if that's right - and I'm sure I am missing many of the finer points - I am still amazed at the DoC agreeing to this and what is really worrying is that it shows the DoC still has the mentality - or at least isn't prepared to argue back with people that have the mentality - that the US "built it so we should own it". This is patent nonsense of the most powerful kind. Who knows, maybe control of the dotcom registry is going to be the thing that allows the USG to extricate itself from the propaganda frenzy it started for WSIS. Maybe the DoC can't see a way of handing over ICANN control without keeping something they can wave at the US public. What makes me worried is that it is VeriSign at the middle of it. If VeriSign is allowed to continue living its semi-autonomous life in the heart of the Internet, only problems will result. ICANN will not be able to haul the company into line in the way that it really needs to - and the Internet needs it to. VeriSign will be cracking open the champagne bottles on this one. In one way, you have to admire them, they are very canny political operators. Kieren Hey Kev,

Well this is where I wish I know more people in Washington. Where I’m confused is how much power Congress can influence over the DoC in the *real world*.

My understanding of the DoC is that, like most arms covering business in government, it has a much more relaxed, pragmatic, business view of the world. And the DoC has been showing signs of understanding that for its own sake, the US has to hand over this troublesome control of the Net which provides nothing but headaches for comparatively little reward.

But the Congressional meetings and the huge political lobbying that has been going on on both sides – CFIT, GoDaddy et al on one side and ole bruiser VeriSign on the other – have skewed the process.

So I *think* once it becomes such a big politicial issue, the DoC has little choice but to find a way through the politicial warfield. As a result, the policy was decided more by Congress than the DoC.

But even if that’s right – and I’m sure I am missing many of the finer points – I am still amazed at the DoC agreeing to this and what is really worrying is that it shows the DoC still has the mentality – or at least isn’t prepared to argue back with people that have the mentality – that the US “built it so we should own it”. This is patent nonsense of the most powerful kind.

Who knows, maybe control of the dotcom registry is going to be the thing that allows the USG to extricate itself from the propaganda frenzy it started for WSIS. Maybe the DoC can’t see a way of handing over ICANN control without keeping something they can wave at the US public.

What makes me worried is that it is VeriSign at the middle of it. If VeriSign is allowed to continue living its semi-autonomous life in the heart of the Internet, only problems will result. ICANN will not be able to haul the company into line in the way that it really needs to – and the Internet needs it to.

VeriSign will be cracking open the champagne bottles on this one. In one way, you have to admire them, they are very canny political operators.

Kieren

]]> By: Kevin Murphy http://kierenmccarthy.com/2006/12/01/the-dotcom-contract-and-dangerous-usg-myopia/comment-page-1/#comment-8326 Kevin Murphy Fri, 01 Dec 2006 21:09:54 +0000 http://kierenmccarthy.co.uk/2006/12/01/the-dotcom-contract-and-dangerous-usg-myopia/#comment-8326 I reckon you're generally along the right tracks, but I think you maybe blurred the lines between the Department of Commerce and Congress a little too much. Commerce is executive branch, Congress is the legislature. I don't think Congress had much, if anything, to do with the new .com amendments. I reckon you’re generally along the right tracks, but I think you maybe blurred the lines between the Department of Commerce and Congress a little too much.

Commerce is executive branch, Congress is the legislature. I don’t think Congress had much, if anything, to do with the new .com amendments.

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