Combined response

[Richard Pyle]

Bob Morris wrote:

> > I agree that it might, but I don't think it necessarily has to.  Again,
I
> > point to IP addresses and DNS.  They are obviously harmonized, but
aren't
> > locked up in administrative layers (or are they???)
>
> Yes, they are, big time. Both have a hierarchy of organizational
> administrative control ending at IANA, the Internet Assigned Numbers
> Authority, http://www.iana.org/. If an individual proposes to put a
machine
> onto the internet, they receive permission, an IP address, and a dns name
from
> the appropriate local authority managing the network to which they will
> physically connect. Often that permission and issuance is done by software
> on a network host on that network (usually a DHCP, dynamic host control
> protocol, server. In turn, the network administrators will have received
> permissions from the next administration up the chain to issue a specific
> block of IP addresses, or specific form of names.

I think the active phrase is "locked up".  My point is that the system
works -- right?  Or does it only "work" because the en-users are so well
insulated from the administrative process?  Would IP work more effectively
if it wasn't harmonized on a global scale, in a centralized sort of way?

Rich