(note reply-to)
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 Ok... now how does this put control of IP space in the hands of users? NSI is just another bunch of suits and engineers... NOT end users...... interesting concept here.. I completly fail to see the logic.
I suspect you also failed to see the word "initially". NSI is simply providing the funding bootstrap. ARIN is envisioned as completely independent, responsible to no one but the community it serves (like APNIC and RIPE-NCC).
Firstly, does this mean that we can simply throw $100k at Internet and buy op several "B" blocks (or CIDR) even though we only need a class C??
No.
Or does it mean we pay HUGE ammounts of money to STILL deal with the fascist IP space assignment policy that InterNIc has currently?
Allocation policies (fascist or not) will not change as a result of the creation of ARIN.
Given the choice of evils... I would prefer to continue with the current plan....
And what happens in March of '98 when the NSF cooperative agreement with NSI ends? I think it safe to assume NSF isn't particularly interested in playing in this sandbox anymore... Regards, -drc