[dns-operations] DNSWorld conference 2007

[Roy Arends]

On Jul 12, 2007, at 10:57 PM, Jack Fisher wrote:

> Hello Mr. Gudmundsson and others,

Hi Jack,

> I am the program chair of the DNSWorld Conference. I believe it  
> time and
> appropriate to set a couple of things straight. I thank the list  
> owner for
> giving me this opportunity.
>
> Our organization has not and does not solicit participation in our
> conference from members of this list, nor any other operational  
> list. We do
> not ask anything from you. A few, we invite, have the opportunity  
> to present
> at our event.

Producing a few names would be nice.

> DNSWorld is not competing with IETF, ISOC, ICANN, Ripe or any
> other group or entity.

But your PR machine is by no means subtle. Just a quote from a recent  
press release:

"DNS World, the premiere conference on Internet Domain Name Service  
will set the stage for a new era in DNS, Internet domains, and IP  
addressing"

I find that a little rich.

> Our focus is an educational experience for those who
> are not, may not or cannot participate for a variety of reasons in  
> the quite
> impressive events of aforementioned associations.

Lets see then. The RIPE meeting is organised twice a year. Once in  
NL, once in another european region, and they reach out to other  
regions who are interested. ICANN meetings are all over the place,  
from Porto Rico to Australia. IETF is three times a year, at least  
once in North America. ISOC has chapters, which organise local  
meetings. To be fair to those who want an educational experience wrt  
DNS, it would be good to compare the "quite impressive events of  
aformentioned associations" with DNSWC. If they "cannot participate"  
in those, they must be in North Korea, at which point Cancun isn't an  
option either.

> And that includes also an
> opportunity for those in commerce to promote their products and  
> services.
>
> In 1997 we organized a network security conference in Miami. We did  
> indeed,
> and Mr. Weiler's research produced a link to the program. I can add  
> to it,
> that the conference was held. Were there any inconsistencies or
> irregularities? No, none whatsoever. There was not even a remote  
> risk to
> that with keynotes as the a director of the CIA, amongst a score of  
> other
> high profile speakers. If a participant, hindsight and 10 years  
> after the
> event, can recall that he/she wasn't pleased with a presentation,  
> couldn't
> catch a plane in time, or had a serious bowel problem, I take that  
> as a fact
> of life. It happens with every conference.

Mr. Weiler's claim was not that the Miami conference wasn't held. He  
merely replicated that one of the people on that program confirmed  
that it had significant scam-like qualities, including getting  
stiffed on travel expenses and being unable to reach the organizer  
after the fact. I understand this can be waved off as hear-say, but I  
happen to know Mr. Weiler well enough to put some value in his  
judgements.

> I resent the tone of some of the comments of this list. It's  
> suggestive,
> unprofessional, unethical, and most importantly insulting,  
> certainly when it
> has no merit at all.

I have not seen those comments. I have seen question being asked by  
many on this list about this dnswc, which is due to the incredible  
bold claim (quoted above) which does not relate to the incredible  
lack of speakers on the agenda page. Some even approached the DNSWC  
for more information, and got a response confirming that there would  
be coffee...... there will be people from 100 Nations "attending and/ 
or speaking" (again, no list), that the program is empty because they  
didn't had the time to invite people yet. (It was not even possible  
to get a confirmation on cookies. How can there be no cookies ? You  
must serve cookies ! Especially if you want DNS folk).

Last but not least, there would be a large Dutch contingent "in  
numbers and expertise". I'm dutch. Jaap is dutch. Plenty more folks  
on this dns-operations list are dutch, yet none have come forward on  
this or other lists that they have been invited as a speaker, or  
going to join. Now, Holland is not that big, so you'd think at least  
one of the folks from the large Dutch contingent in numbers and  
expertise would be on at least one of those lists. To make matters  
more strange, Jaap Akkerhuis was asked if he'd be "courages enough"  
to contribute. I'd like to turn that around. If you'd be so lucky to  
have Jaap on your speakers list, you'd actually have substance on the  
agenda, not just popular contemporary dns culture without value.

> Datanet Security Holding, Inc. is a private held
> company, and we are in business since 1994. We were a spin off of  
> Elsevier
> Advanced Sciences' Journal on Computers and Security (Oxford, UK) and
> started by Em. Prof. Dr. Harold Joseph Highland. Sadly enough Harold
> Highland and his friends Jon Postel and Bob Herzberg passed. Harold  
> was by
> some of the older generation among you recognized as one of the  
> very early
> computer security minds. They were also my friends; I am of the  
> same age
> group. Yes, the time of Bitnet and Arpanet. And, yes, we were there  
> way
> before you, and likely for a number among you way before you were  
> actually
> able to speak. Vint will recall them.

This is a bit sycophantic. While "Vint" might recall Harold, Jon or  
Bob, "Vint" could do you a favor and vouch for you. Hell, get him to  
speak at your conference.... That would be PR, wouldn't it.  I fear  
this is more namedropping than anything else.

> Why Cancun for DNSWorld, seems to be a topic of interest. For a  
> number of
> reasons. Here are the most important ones: DNSWorld desires to be  
> completely
> impartial. And that simply means that visitors from countries not  
> welcome in
> the USA, are welcome in Mexico. Secondly, the Mexican government  
> has granted
> us a blanket sales tax waiver for the organization and delegates on  
> their
> already low hotel room rates. That makes a significant difference  
> for many
> not willing or able to cough up $ 200+ a night.

 From your website:

THE RATES
♦ Standard single/double DeLuxe Room USD $ 140 per night
♦ Standard Junior Suite USD $ 195 per night
♦ Royal Service single/double Room USD $ 235 per night

Oh, and there is the $965/$1195 registration fee, and the $100 gala fee.

And, for the fun of it, the rates for the next IETF meeting in the  
Chicago Hilton:

$184.00 * single
$209.00 * double

$600/$750 registration fee.

> I like to add that before judging a program,

Which program ?

> it would benefit to figure out
> if a particular topic has merit.

What topic ?

> That is besides the point of course that
> the presenters

Which presenters ?

> and I decide on what is going to be presented.

>   Meanwhile I
> see that a lightning rod figured out that there are applications  
> which allow
> for more than 255 characters.

:-)

> For the lesser privileged on a different
> topic: Perhaps if you attempt to follow: "Secure DNS: The  
> Foundation for
> Utility Grade Networks", a Forrester Research presentation dealing  
> with
> award-winning work of Secure64, you discover that there are other
> developments; likely beyond your grasp.

I'll tell you, insulting folks won't help you to get them to your  
conference.

> Lastly, I am not game for a pissing contest of any sorts, on this  
> list or
> elsewhere.

Good. We have real work to do.

> If you find fun in grave digging for non-existent corpses instead
> of network operations, I'd suggest a career change. United Nations has
> plenty vacancies. If there's a pessimistic mind troubled with a,  
> hopefully
> temporary, moment of diluted brilliance, I can only be grateful to be
> alerted in advance whom I should not consider to invite speaking  
> for our
> audience.

I can't believe you just wrote that. I think you've completely  
disqualified yourself and your conference.

Roy