At 08:22 PM 7/11/99 -0400, you wrote: >>So the question is, will the NTIA force NSI's >>hand? And if so, when? > >I believe there are statutory limits on the sole-source cooperative >agreement of 7 years. I believe this would end in Sept 2000. I expect >there is a mechanism to go beyond this if NTIA were to justify a longer time >by using Internet stability as a reason. > >Russ Smith >http://domainia.org > Russ: It would appear that you and I and Onno, at least, are on the same wavelength. With due pardon to you given first, I must snicker at the notion of retaining NSI in the interests of "Internet stability": is not this latest limitation by NSI of access to data bases yet one more instance of its arbitrary imposition of impediments to a stable Internet? How many of these will it take before NTIA has had it, and realizes that NSI is an incorrigible schemer, addicted to its own self interest at all costs and to hell with the rest of us? I'm guessing (and hoping) not very many, and (noting that I haven't checked on your 7 year surmise, which may well be correct) can we even hold out until Sept. 2000? Or will the whole system have imploded by then? Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Bill Lovell
