February 15, 2007

Registrars and Customer Service - Three Comments - Part 1

Bret Fausett's Lextext has a short note, "Registrars and Customer Service" that refers to two letters to ICANN's President, Paul Twomey.

Later today (tonight) I will try to comment on the contents of the letters themselves as I think they reflect some important perceptions or misconceptions about ICANN and its role on the internet.

In the meantime I'd simply like to mention that in the past letters such as these would have tended to be addressed to the chairman of ICANN's Board of Directors.  Not only were neither of these letters so addressed, they did not even carbon-copy the Chairman.

I believe that this is reflecting a shift in the perceived locus of authority within ICANN.

With the term of ICANN's Chairman, Vint Cerf, in sight, and with ICANN's Board continuing its passive role, ICANN is ever more an engine driven by its President.

Personally I like Paul Twomey - I think he is a very intelligent, educated, effective and talented person.  He's like a Caterpillar D-11: If you point it (or Paul) at some obect, that object is most certainly going to be changed.

My main complaint with regard to ICANN's President is that his considerable talents have not been well directed or channeled by ICANN's Board of Directors - and that is a problem that comes from the Board's submissive role within ICANN.

Posted by karl at February 15, 2007 4:56 PM