Dan GillmorMar 16, 2023
Open AI wants us to believe its shift from nonprofit and open to for-profit and black box is just a natural progression, not a bait and switch of epic proportions. The company genuinely believes we are stupid and naive.
Show threadPhillip Hallam-BakerMar 16, 2023

@dangillmor I have seen pretty much every not-for-profit make the same shift either explicitly or covertly. ICANN was supposed to be non profit, they worked out how to charge a quarter million dollars to register a domain and they don’t even pay to run the DNS root.

I see no reason not to expect Signal to do the same. The involvement with crypto-Ponzi coins showed malicious intent in my view and it is a walled garden. Only Signal can provide the service to Signal users.

Show threadJeff MossMar 16, 2023
@hallam Can you expand on ICANN not “paying to run the DNS root”?
Show threadPete Wright
@thedarktangent @hallam “It’s just a DNS server Michael, how much could it cost?”
Mar 16, 2023 at 3:20pmWeb
Show threadPhillip Hallam-BakerMar 16, 2023
@pete_wright @thedarktangent For the A.Root, going on for 8 figures. It is a non trivial piece of engineering.
Show threadJeff MossMar 17, 2023

@hallam @pete_wright Verisign has a $1 contract IIRC with IANA for A root. ICANN runs L root. Others are run by universities or USG, and have since before ICANN. That’s part of the problem. ICANN doesn’t regulate the roots or have any control beyond trying to coordinate and talk with them.

ICANN even modified their bylaws to remove reference to being responsible - an acknowledgment of reality.

Show threadPhillip Hallam-BakerMar 19, 2023

@thedarktangent @pete_wright Interesting, its a long time since I worked for VRSN.

VRSN still has the A and the J servers which is kinda weird since they are ANYCASTing and so they don't need two slots.

Show threadJeff MossMar 19, 2023
@hallam @pete_wright ‘A’ root sort of acts as the authoritative. There was a process when root zone updates occurred that IANA, NTIA and A would all approve them to make sure no mistakes before publishing. I’m not sure if that exists anymore after ICANN gained its independence.
Show threadPhillip Hallam-BakerMar 20, 2023

@thedarktangent @pete_wright oh I remember that being screwed up once.

Moot since they started signing the root…