On 10/22/2013 1:50 PM, Randy Bush wrote:
as the ietf is legally f(isoc),
The IETF is not legally ISOC.
you are correct. legally, it is a function of isoc. sorry about the
notational shortening.
No, that's also wrong. For example, the IETF is not a 'subsidiary' or
'department' of ISOC.
Legally the IETF is an unincorporated, independent organization, or
'voluntary association'[1].
ISOC is a separate corporation that provides administrative, legal and
financial services to the IETF.
The IETF existed before ISOC. If ISOC ceased to exist, the IETF would
still exist, albeit with a number of administrative, legal and financial
holes it would have to scramble to fill.
If the IETF ceased to exist, ISOC would still exist and still have a
wide range of on-going activities, albeit a bit of a public relations
task for filling a hole in its "story" and a financial scramble for
finding a new recipient of a large chunk of cash.
None of this disparages either organization, but is meant to clarify the
nature and independence of each, because folk regularly misunderstand
the reality of the two organizations.
d/
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voluntary_association
--
Dave Crocker
Brandenburg InternetWorking
bbiw.net