Re: .org sale - bidding process

[Andrew Sullivan <[e-mail]>]

Hi,

On Fri, Jan 17, 2020 at 02:02:37PM -0800, Randy Bush wrote:
> perhaps "I don't think the IETF list is a good place to discuss the PIR
> transactio" does not have the best cosmetics for a subject where folk
> have expressed concern of discussion suppression.
 
Please let me be perfectly clear.  I am not trying to suppress
discussion in any way.  But there are three factors at play here:

	1.  The IETF list is supposed to be a list about IETF and the
	topics of direct relevance to its work.  I have said, here on this
	list, that ISOC's commitment to IETF funding is in no way
	diminished by this proposed transaction and will continue whatever
	the outcome.  Other than that, there is literally nothing about
	this transaction that has any technical implications at all.  The
	IETF list would be an inappropriate list to discuss the corporate
	owner of the operator of .nl or .ca or .us or .biz or .info or
	.com.  For the same reason, I cannot see even a little bit an
	argument for how the PIR transaction is on topic here, and I don't
	wish to distract the IETF from the important work it does.

	2.  There is in fact a list that has had a lot of traffic, and
	that is open to anyone here who wants to subscribe, where the
	topic is being discussed.  Just as people often frown on
	cross-posting or (worse) "WG shopping" in the IETF, I think adding
	another list where discussion goes on will not help.

	3.  This is perhaps a more pragmatic reason, but I have limited
	capacity to follow the IETF list with great diligence, and I have
	been trying very hard to answer questions people have about this
	proposed transaction.  To my chagrin, I no longer contribute in
	anything like a meaningful way to the IETF (admittedly, there are
	likely those who will say I never did), so I really just cannot
	keep up with IETF list traffic.  If people wish to discuss the
	topic here on the IETF list, what is most likely to happen is that
	I won't be able to answer their questions in reasonable time.
	Other ISOC personnel are engaged in working on ISOC's efforts to
	build, promote, and defend the Internet.  That's what we exist
	for, and I am not willing to pull them out of those efforts in
	order to follow a discussion here in a venue where I think the
	topic is not appropriate anyway (for the above reasons).
	Obviously, I can't police what people might talk about on the IETF
	list, and if you want to talk about this here and the SAA is
	prepared to allow it, go ahead.  But _I_ don't think it's
	appropriate and you'll get better service if you ask questions on
	a different list.

I hope that helps make my view plainer.

Best regards,

A

-- 
Andrew Sullivan
President & CEO, Internet Society
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