Hi Keith --- You are getting closer to understanding what is going on. Someone has previously noted that the real control point of the "." is in the hands of all the individual users of the DNS, who as I have pointed out "Vote Early and Often" for their favorite root service. While most of them are docile and just do what someone says to do to make their computer work on the net, more and more of them are getting the message that doing so is neither necessary nor appropriate to their usage objectives. So, in some ways you are correct that we are doing it to assert our rights as Internet Users objecting to the dictatorial modes of DNS "management" if anyone can call what DoC and ICANN are doing "management";-)... But, I want to pick one nit with your statement. ORSC is not doing any of this just to be disruptive and contrary. Speaking correctly, ORSC is not running an "alt root" in any way that resembles what those who claimed to be running "Alt" Roots did when they were active. ICANN and others persist in using the term "alt" in large part because they want to tag present efforts of ORSC with the past nonsense of the earlier "Alt" efforts. In the place of those rather destructive efforts from the early days, ORSC has managed to eliminate all conflicts among the non-ICANN TLDs, except for those cases when ICANN has deliberately created new TLDs in conflict with existing ORSC TLDs. We are still trying to find a way to discuss these remaining issues with the involved parties to seek resolution. The current ORSC behavior and policies are fully in keeping with the notion that conflicting DNS names are a bad thing given the present condition of the DNS system standards, and we have dedicated a lot of effort in the task of removing conflicts by working with the conflicting parties to resolve the conflicts and reduce them to single TLD registries. Were we to join the ICANN efforts to just stamp them out, the situation would be much much worse with simple anarchy ruling the DNS. So, we would all appreciate you help in setting the record straight with regard to whether ORSC is advocating "Alt" roots. Thanks for your suppoort;-)...\Stef At 2:33 PM -0400 8/2/02, Keith Moore wrote: > > The US DoC operates, directly or indirectly, 6 of the 13 root servers, > > including A. Whether it is "right" or not is irrelevant -- the DoC has > > the power to do whatever it wants to the root. > >we REALLY need to rectify that situation. perhaps what we need are large >numbers of alternate roots that DON'T try to define new TLDs but which >exist solely to prevent the US government from exerting control... > >Keith