Karl Denninger writes:
NSI does not own the root domain .com .org .net or any other TLD. They were *hired* by the NSF to manage the registration of domain names for these TLDs, and they have done a deplorable job. They are now being fired, if anyone is opening themselves up for a class action suite it is NSI for not relinquishing property that they have no legal right to claim as their own. [...] There you are very wrong.
Prior to September 1995 you were correct.
Go and read the cooperative agreement sometime. Its on the web, you know. It clearly states two things: 1) that NSI may be permitted to charge at some point in the future to defer costs, and that 2) at the end of the contract, everything reverts to the NSF -- EVERYTHING. The contract also notes that NSF is funding the contract but that the origin of the delegation is the IANA. I strongly urge people to go and read it for themselves. Perry Speaking personally, and not in an official capacity