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Netizens-Digest Volume 1 Number 344
Netizens-Digest Monday, November 1 1999 Volume 01 : Number 344
Netizens Association Discussion List Digest
In this issue:
[none]
[none]
[netz] The role of government in the present and future of the Internet
[netz] Netizens and the Role for Government in the Internet
[netz] Senate committee asking for investigation ICANN
[netz] Tony Rutkowski's announcement of legal brief filed with ICANN
Re: [netz] Senate committee asking for investigation ICANN
Re: [netz] Senate committee asking for investigation ICANN
[netz] RE: (netz) Senate committee asking for investigation ICANN
[netz] RE: (netz) Tony Rutkowski's announcement of legal brief file
[netz] RE: (netz) Senate committee asking for investigation ICANN
[netz] RE: (netz) Senate committee asking for investigation ICANN
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 21 Oct 1999 14:34:22 -0400 (EDT)
From: jrh@umcc.ais.org (Jay Hauben)
Subject: [none]
test2
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 23 Oct 1999 20:22:21 -0400 (EDT)
From: ronda@panix.com
Subject: [none]
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 23 Oct 1999 20:33:50 -0400 (EDT)
From: ronda@panix.com
Subject: [netz] The role of government in the present and future of the Internet
>From ronda@umcc.ais.org Fri Oct 22 10:30:15 1999
Date: Fri, 22 Oct 1999 10:30:02 -0400 (EDT)
From: ronda@umcc.ais.org (Ronda Hauben)
To: nettime-l@bbs.thing.net
Subject: The public interest and the Internet: Books for Internet Studies
Another mailing list I am on had asked for suggestions
for books for Internet studies and I thought that this
subject was a worthwhile one for the nettime list to
consider as well.
I wanted to suggest the book I am co-author of
"Netizens: On the History and Impact of Usenet and
the Internet" published by IEEE Computer Society Press
in 1997 ISBN 0-8186-7706-6
The reason I am suggesting the book is that there has
been an important battle since the earliest days of the
birth of the Internet waged by those who have had a vision
of it as a communications medium versus those with
other goals in mind.
In Netizens we set out to explore this vision and
to document the hard efforts it has taken to create
a participatory medium where the voice of those online
is part of creating both the present and the future
of the developing network.
We faced some of the similar challenges in writing and
trying to get the story of the developing participatory
medium out to the world that the Internet and Internet
pioneers faced in developing the Net.
Those intent on turning the Internet into a commercial
haven with no sign left of the vision or purpose of the
Internet were hostile to our book and to the chapters
in it, several of which were originally presented as
talks.
And just as the Internet was under seige, so a new social
form was discovered by those online who were fighting
the seige and my co-author Michael recognized there was
a new concept that had emerged along with the Internet, the
concept of the net citizen, or the Netizen.
Thus our book has made the effort not only to document
the efforts of the commercializers to seize the Internet
from those who have worked so hard to build it, but
more importantly, we have made the effort to search out
and document the hard work done and the achievements
of those who have constructed a new and important participatory
medium.
The Internet is not about identify or about buying and
selling or about domain names or companies making it rich quick,
though these are all what the U.S. press at least tries to
pass on as the nature of the Internet.
Instead the Internet is about the hard efforts of many people,
especially a determined set of scientists who were developing
a new field of science, the field of computer communications.
The Internet is about how they created something
very important and something very general and something new.
We have made an effort to identify the principles and concepts
of what is new about the Internet in "Netizens."
And we also hoped that the book would be an encouragement
to both users and those who weren't yet online to see the
important new means of communication that the Internet makes
possible and to see the hard battle it will take to develop
a government policy that will make it possible to protect
this new means of communications.
Recently I met someone from a country in Africa who told me
that he was trying to understand what was the needed role
for government in the development of the Internet and other
new media in his country.
In the U.S., despite the long and important role that government
has played in making a grassroots development process possible,
the Internet is now being abandoned by government to a policy
of "the private sector leads" and U.S. government does all it
can to help the so called "private sector."
This presents a serious threat to the present and future
development of the Internet.
Users and citizens who understand the nature of the Internet
and the vision of the pioneers to make access into a "right"
not a privilege, will recognize the need to challenge such
a harmful government policy.
The Internet is a scientific and technical computer communications
system that is only in the process of development. The kind of
scientific and technical research efforts that it continues to
require means that no "private sector" entity is capable of
leading this development. Such development requires long term
perspective and support, not "short term profits" as its basis.
This is why government and science and the public are the entities
that need to be leading the development, not industry which is
constrained by its need to achieve short term profit.
Also the Internet is something new and so needs both the open
process of user participation in its development that has
marked its earliest days, and some responsible and thoughtful
consideration for what is needed for its present and future.
That is not possible under a so called "private sector" led
policy for development. There was and continues to be a need
for the serious consideration of the question what should
be the role of the government and of the private sector
in the present and future development of the Internet.
The U.S. government has failed to explore this question
but the challenge then falls to the public in the U.S.
and to people around the world to take up the question.
Our book "Netizens: On the History and Impact of Usenet and
the Internet" was intended as a contribution to this kind
of needed discussion.
It is important that this discussion be ongoing at a grassroots
level and that the work we have done in Netizens be taken
as a basis for further research into the issues it raises.
The Internet makes possible a very new and important means
of human to human communication. There are those who realize
that this is a threat to the old ways of power and poverty.
The contest is on over which sectors of the population will
benefit from this important new development. And those who
hope for some of the benefit to serve the public interest
need to determine how to be an effective part of the ongoing
battle.
Ronda
ronda@ais.org
- -----------------
Netizens: On the History and Impact
of Usenet and the Internet
http://www.columbia.edu/~hauben/netbook/
Published by the IEEE Computer Society Press
ISBN # 0-8186-7706-6
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 23 Oct 1999 20:47:19 -0400 (EDT)
From: ronda@panix.com
Subject: [netz] Netizens and the Role for Government in the Internet
A mailing list I am on had asked for suggestions
for books for Internet studies and I thought that this
subject was a worthwhile one for the netizens list to
consider as well.
I thought it would be helpful to suggest why
we wrote Netizens as a way to begin to explore
this question.
- -----------------
Netizens: On the History and Impact of Usenet and
the Internet" published by IEEE Computer Society Press
in 1997 ISBN 0-8186-7706-6
There has been an important battle since the earliest days
of the birth of the Internet waged by those who have
had a vision of it as a communications medium versus
those with other goals in mind.
In Netizens we set out to explore this vision and
to document the hard efforts it has taken to create
a participatory medium where the voice of those online
is part of creating both the present and the future
of the developing network.
We faced some of the similar challenges in writing and
trying to get the story of the developing participatory
medium out into the world that the Internet and Internet
pioneers faced in developing the Net.
Those intent on turning the Internet into a commercial
haven with no sign left of the vision or purpose of the
Internet as a communications medium were hostile to the
history being documented and made available. Instead
myths abounded about the origins and development of the
Internet.
And just as the Internet was under seige, so a new social
form was discovered by those online who were fighting
the seige and Netizens co-author Michael recognized there was
a new concept that had emerged along with the Internet, the
concept of the net citizen, or the Netizen.
Thus Netizens not only documents the actions of those
who want to limit the development of the Internet and
turn it into one big commercial commercenet, but it also
documents the cooperative and scientific efforts of those
who have built the Internet as a participatory and general
nature communications medium.
More importantly, we have made the effort to search out
and document the conceptual development and the achievements
of those who have constructed a new and important participatory
medium.
The Internet is not about identify or about buying and
selling or about domain names or companies making it rich quick,
though these are all what the U.S. press at least tries to
pass on as the nature of the Internet. (Though in the context
of protection for the general nature of the Internet, there
are many particular uses that will be possible.)
Instead the Internet is about the hard efforts of many people,
especially a determined set of scientists who were
making breakthroughs in the newly developing field of
computer communications.
The Internet is about how they created something
very important and something very general and something new.
We have made an effort to identify the principles and concepts
of what is new about the Internet in "Netizens."
And we also hoped that the book would be an encouragement
to both users and those who weren't yet online to see the
important new means of communication that the Internet makes
possible and to see the hard battle it will take to develop
a government policy that will make it possible to protect
this new means of communications.
Recently I met someone from a country in Africa who told me
that he was trying to understand what was the needed role
for government in the development of the Internet and other
new media in his country.
In the U.S., despite the long and important role that government
has played in making a grassroots development process possible,
the Internet is now being abandoned by government to a policy
of "the private sector leads" and U.S. government does all it
can to help the so called "private sector."
This presents a serious threat to the present and future
development of the Internet.
Users and citizens who understand the nature of the Internet
and the vision of the pioneers to make access into a "right"
not a privilege, will recognize the need to challenge such
a harmful government policy.
The Internet is a scientific and technical computer communications
system that is only in the process of development. The kind of
scientific and technical research efforts that it continues to
require means that no "private sector" entity is capable of
leading this development. Such development requires long term
perspective and support, not "short term profits" as its basis.
This is why government and science and the public are the entities
that need to be leading the development, not industry which is
constrained by its need to achieve short term profit.
Also the Internet is something new and so needs both the open
process of user participation in its development that has
marked its earliest days, and some responsible and thoughtful
consideration for what is needed for its present and future.
That is not possible under a so called "private sector" led
policy for development. There was and continues to be a need
for the serious consideration of the question what should
be the role of the government and of the private sector
in the present and future development of the Internet.
The U.S. government has failed to explore this question
but the challenge then falls to the public in the U.S.
and to people around the world to take up the question.
Our book "Netizens: On the History and Impact of Usenet and
the Internet" was intended as a contribution to this kind
of needed discussion.
It is important that this discussion be ongoing at a grassroots
level and that the work we have done in Netizens be taken
as a basis for further research into the issues it raises.
The Internet makes possible a very new and important means
of human to human communication. There are those who realize
that this is a threat to the old ways of power and poverty.
The contest is on over which sectors of the population will
benefit from this important new development. And those who
hope for some of the benefit to serve the public interest
need to determine how to be an effective part of the ongoing
battle.
Ronda
ronda@panix.com
- -----------------
Netizens: On the History and Impact
of Usenet and the Internet
http://www.columbia.edu/~hauben/netbook/
Published by the IEEE Computer Society Press
ISBN # 0-8186-7706-6
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 31 Oct 1999 00:04:44 -0400 (EDT)
From: ronda@panix.com
Subject: [netz] Senate committee asking for investigation ICANN
I thought those on the Netizens list would be interested in this
note from Jamie Love that Senator Judd Gregg put language into the
U.S. CJS Senate Appropriations conference report directing
the Government Accounting Office to review what is happening with
ICANN in several areas.
It would be good to have further information on this.
Ronda
- ---------------
* From: James Love <love@cptech.org>
* Date: Mon, 25 Oct 1999 16:58:25 -0400
I was told today that Senator Judd Gregg put the following language into
the CJS Appropriations conference report regarding ICANN.
Jamie
- --------------------
The Committee directs the Government Accounting Office to review the
relationship between the Department of Commerce and the Internet
Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and to issue a report
no later than June 2000. The Committee requests that GAO review: 1) the
legal basis for the Department s selection of U.S. representatives to
ICANN s interim board and for the expenditure of funds for the costs of
U.S. representation and participation in ICANN s proceedings; 2) whether
the U.S. participation in ICANN proceedings is consistent with U.S. law,
including the Administrative Procedures Act; 3) a legal analysis of the
Department of Commerce s opinion that OMB Circular A-25 provides ICANN,
as a project partner with the Department, authority to impose fees on
internet users for ICANN s operating costs; and, 4) whether the
Department has the legal authority to transfer control of the A root
server to ICANN. In addition, the Committee seeks GAO s evaluation and
recommendations regarding placing responsibility for U.S. participation
in ICANN under the National Institute for Standards and Technology
rather than the National Telecommunications and Information
Administration, and requests that GAO review the adequacy of security
arrangements under existing Department cooperative agreements.
http://www.cptech.org / love@cptech.org
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 31 Oct 1999 10:20:58 -0500 (EST)
From: ronda@panix.com
Subject: [netz] Tony Rutkowski's announcement of legal brief filed with ICANN
Tony
>Date: Thu, 28 Oct 1999 17:20:08 -0400
>From: "A.M. Rutkowski" <amr@netmagic.com>
>Subject: [IFWP] Internet Rights Coalition Press Release
>INTERNET RIGHTS COALITION FILES LEGAL BRIEF WITH ICANN
>ON GOVERNMENT SOVEREIGNTY CLAIMS TO DOMAIN NAMES,
>REQUESTS OPEN PROCESS
(...)
>http://www.wia.org/icann/irc_cover-letter.htm
>http://www.wia.org/icann/irc_gac_brief.htm
Can you explain about why this brief in being filed with
ICANN?
I am interested in how entities other than government entities
become those with whom someone might file a legal brief?
Would you file a legal brief with other US nonprofit entities?
I thought that nonprofit entities were corporations of a form,
not that they were legal bodies that governed or were endowed
with government powers.
However the filing a brief with a nonprofit entity seems to
give the impression that it is endowed with the powers of
a government. Do you feel it is?
Is there some reason the brief wasn't filed with the US government?
Under any conditions ICANN is only an entity that is supposed to
be a design and test contract with the U.S. government. So I don't
understand the brief going to ICANN and expecting ICANN to make
decisions, especially where the Government Advisory Council,
(GAC) which is the subject of the brief, has to do with government.
The US government set up the GAC and it would seem that
questions concerning the nature of the GAC have to do with
the US government activity involving it.
I wondered about the rationale behind filing a legal brief
with ICANN? What do you see ICANN as that you treat them
in a way that government's are treated?
Are they a government entity in your mind?
Thanks for any clarification on this.
Ronda
ronda@panix.com
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 31 Oct 1999 20:51:52 -04
From: kerryo@ns.sympatico.ca (Kerry Miller)
Subject: Re: [netz] Senate committee asking for investigation ICANN
> In addition, the Committee seeks GAO s evaluation and
> recommendations regarding placing responsibility for U.S. participation
> in ICANN under the National Institute for Standards and Technology
> rather than the National Telecommunications and Information
> Administration
i.e. out of Commerce!
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 1 Nov 1999 07:35:50 -0800 (PST)
From: Greg Skinner <gds@best.com>
Subject: Re: [netz] Senate committee asking for investigation ICANN
In article <19991101032420.AAA28690@LOCALNAME> Kerry Miller wrote:
>> In addition, the Committee seeks GAO s evaluation and
>> recommendations regarding placing responsibility for U.S. participation
>> in ICANN under the National Institute for Standards and Technology
>> rather than the National Telecommunications and Information
>> Administration
>i.e. out of Commerce!
It looks from the NIST's website (www.nist.gov) that their interest in
ICANN could be commercial.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 31 Oct 99 06:02:00 EST
From: "Joseph Russo" <joseph_russo@ccmail.odedodea.edu>
Subject: [netz] RE: (netz) Senate committee asking for investigation ICANN
Thank you for you message. Have a wonderful day....and remember to invest in a
child!
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 31 Oct 99 16:19:00 EST
From: "Joseph Russo" <joseph_russo@ccmail.odedodea.edu>
Subject: [netz] RE: (netz) Tony Rutkowski's announcement of legal brief file
Thank you for you message. Have a wonderful day....and remember to invest in a
child!
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 01 Nov 99 04:22:00 EST
From: "Joseph Russo" <joseph_russo@ccmail.odedodea.edu>
Subject: [netz] RE: (netz) Senate committee asking for investigation ICANN
Thank you for you message. Have a wonderful day....and remember to invest in a
child!
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 01 Nov 99 16:34:00 EST
From: "Joseph Russo" <joseph_russo@ccmail.odedodea.edu>
Subject: [netz] RE: (netz) Senate committee asking for investigation ICANN
Thank you for you message. Have a wonderful day....and remember to invest in
the stock market too!!!
------------------------------
End of Netizens-Digest V1 #344
******************************
