Hallo, RIPE TLD-WG!

Dear TLD-WG People,

The period between the Spring and Autumn RIPE meetings is usually
dominated
for me by two things: summer upgrades (since I work in a university
computer
centre) and holidays (with some luck).  I don't know exactly what keeps
all of you
so busy, but I hope you have at least been able to enjoy a holiday
break.

Before long, the TLD WG meets again at RIPE 34.  I look forward to
meeting as
many of you as possible  -- again, or perhaps for the first time -- and
to a productive
TLD WG meeting.

But first, some preparation.

Please take a look at
<http://www.ripe.net/mail-archives/tld-wg/index.html> and in
particular at the workplan discussion document presented at RIPE 33 and
the action
list as of the end of that meeting.

The key topic for the TLD WG session will be the future direction of the
WG.

The conditions which led to the establishment of the WG have changed
utterly
since May 1997.  Much of this change has come about as a result of work
begun
in the TLD WG: in particular, CENTR has been established, and has has
been
instrumental in shaping the DNSO and Names Council.  Besides all that,
ICANN
has been created and is functioning.

Our energies have been focused on the emerging organisational
structure.  The
structure is now in place, and it is time to shift focus to questions of
what the
policy and operational priorities should be and how the network of
organisations
(registries and registrars as well as those already mentioned) is to be
influenced.

We have open issues since RIPE 33 which have both operational and policy

aspects: domain objects in the RIPE DB, and participation in the
HARMONIC
project.

Much of our workplan, which we must formally review, can be traced back
to
the RIPE 27 BOF.  I expect sections of it may become redundant when we
have identified the appropriate future directions.  One way or another,
a less
grandiose and more focused workplan would surely be better, with
identified
co-ordinators (or even task forces) for each area.

I'm asking you to do the following:
    refer to the mail archive,
    consider where the TLD-WG now stands,
    look at what baggage we are carrying,
    identify what we don't need any more,
    tell us all what you think,
    and how you would like to participate in the future directions.

Simple, no ?

See you in Amsterdam

Niall O'Reilly
TLD WG Chair