[address-policy-wg] do IP addresses have a financial value?

Hello Jim,
> Just because someone can't or doesn't want to trade something doesn't 
> mean it has no value. We know that there have been examples where 
> companies have merged or been acquired for the address space they held 
> and that space determined the price of the transaction. And there is a 
> grey market in address space outside the RIR system. Which implies 
> that addresses do have a value. 
If this is the case, then 2007-08 won't 'suddenly' give address space 
value. That value would already exist. A grey or black market is 
dangerous for the consistency of the RIPE database, and I think the 
thing to focus on here is how to keep the RIPE database consistent. If a 
market already exists then 2007-08 could give us the tools to ensure 
that consistency.

Sander
(not speaking as wg chair)