[chapter-delegates] An analysis - INTERNET GOVERNANCE PROJECT: "What to Do About ICANN"

[Veni Markovski]

>
>Being neutral is not the same as being a bystander.
>IMHO, being neutral is being the guardian of balance, it means that we will
>be looking to upset some people, but not to the point of making enemies, and
>we will also be looking to make some people happy, but not to the point of
>becoming their savior.

If someone does not have enemies, that sounds a little bit suspicous.

>For example, your move against Microsoft. Personally, I don't care much
>about them, but I do know that the move does not exactly count as balance
>either. A more balanced action is to recommend open source solution without
>filing a court case, that will be considered as neutral position.

Actually I did it pretty well - I didn't file a case, but sent a signal to 
the Competition Protection Commission. The signal was based on the decision 
of the European Commission which punished Microsoft with 497 mln. euro. CPC 
decided that Microsoft is not breaking the laws in Bulgaria, which is a 
pretty good example why Bulgaria is still not a member of the EU - because 
we're not ready yet.
As for the recommendations for using FOSS - we do it, full power, through 
many programs, some of them are listed at www.foss.bg , but that has 
nothing to do with the fact that a to-be-member-of-the-EU country decides 
contrary to what the EU has decided.


>Compromise sir. That is the only way to keep everyone in the boat without
>sinking it.

That's the case if you are on the boat. But if you are in the forest, where 
there are some predators that want to eat you, or to make you pay excessive 
amounts of money for the software they sell you through your government and 
at prices 2, 3 or 4 times higher than on the streets, then to follow your 
advise will be a suicide.

So, compromise - yes, where this is possible.
Have positions on different issues - even more yes.

The world today is not a boat. There are many people who don't want the 
Internet to work free of control, the way it is. If we don't confront them 
today, tomorrow they will not compromise with us - they will just eat us.

I hope now things are more clear:)

veni