May 23, 2003

On the departure of Louis Touton from ICANN

This is a follow-up to my comments in ICANNwatch regarding the departure of Louis Touton from ICANN.

As I wrote there, I have come to have a great deal of respect for Louis.

Many have complained that Louis created too much internet policy.  It is indeed true that much of what we see as the concrete result of ICANN has come from Louis' pen.  However, Louis stepped into a policy vacuum ... and he filled it.

If there is fault in this, it is the fault of the ICANN Board of Directors and of ICANN's past presidents who have failed to direct and channel the creative energy of Louis Touton.  This kind of institutional structural failure is likely to continue beyond Louis' departure; it is a structural failure that is likely to continue crippling ICANN.

Posted by karl at May 23, 2003 9:46 PM