Hello, Recently, there has been discussion concerning the need to keep IP issues separate from domain issues. The stability of the Internet in part relies on the careful management of the Internet Protocol addresses. The point has also been made that the management of the IP space should be put in the hands of those that depend on it - the users. Whether those users are ISPs, corporate entities, universities, etc., they should all play a role. To this end, Network Solutions, Inc. plans to create and initially fund a non-profit 501(c)6 organization to be known as The American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN) to manage the IP address space for the territories it currently administers, similar to the APNIC and RIPE regional IP registries. This organization will be a non-profit spin-off of the current InterNIC IP group. Network Solutions, Inc. will initially fund ARIN until fees are imposed and will offer continued financing until such time as it is a stable, self-sufficient entity capable of funding itself through its membership dues, registration and maintenance fees. Details on the proposed organizational structure and 1997 funding model are located at http://rs.internic.net/arin. Questions regarding the proposal will be answered on the ARIN mailing list. To subscribe, send mail to: listserv@internic.net with "subscribe naipr" in the body along with your first and last name. Regards, Kim Hubbard InterNIC Registry