[EURO-Discuss] Short bio for the election of the Euralo representatives to the ALAC

[Patrick Vande Walle]

Dear colleagues,

We do not have much time to make up our mind regarding the Euralo
elections to the ALAC. In order to help you select the two candidates
who will fill the vacancies, let me please introduce myself.

I have been a long time participant in ICANN processes but my
involvement in the Internet actually predates ICANN.

My educational and professional background is in computer and network
engineering. I think this is most helpful in the ICANN context.
Actually, this background led me to join the Internet Society. Through
my work with ISOC, I have good links with the IETF community,
where I have been advocating that technical choices should take the
societal needs into account. See for example my last post on the main
At-Large list regarding this topic:
http://atlarge-lists.icann.org/pipermail/at-large_atlarge-lists.icann.org/2008q3/004580.html

As mentioned in this post, while I tink that the ALAC's core business is
to advise the ICANN board regarding policies, there is also a need to to
have  thorough thinking of where we want the Net to go and how this
translates into ICANN's business. I hope ICANN can be much more than an
administration signing contracts and developing policies around them.

My priorities for the work of the ALAC in the coming two years is to
consolidate what has been built up to now. The ALAC has gained
credibility, mostly thanks to RALO process. It is quite unfortunate that
the ALAC review mandated by ICANN bylaws happens at the very moment fo a
major change within the ALAC. However, I am convinced that most parties
will keep in mind that th current ALAC should not be redesigned based on
the past track record. Still I am convinced there needs to be changes in
the way users and individual domain name registrants are represented
within ICANN. After all, the major part of the income of ICANN are the
fees that are collected from the registrants through the registries and
registars. We are actually the ones financing ICANN. We need a stronger
voice.

This message being already too long, I suggest you check my blog or my
posts at CircleID if you want a more detailed view of my opinions. See
the links at the end of this post.

I thank you for attention and will do my best to honour your trust in me.


Blog: http://patrick.vande-walle.eu
CircleID: http://www.circleid.com/members/1694

-- 
Patrick Vande Walle