Ronald, Policy proposals are always gratefully received, from anyone. The AA-WG Co-Chairs and the RIPE NCC Policy Development Office are on hand to help proposers with those policies and to try and provide background and context. Navigating these waters can be quite tricky, it's true, but the bottom-up, consensus driven process has many, many positive points, so it's not going anywhere! RIPE is a broad church, so to speak, and given its membership criteria (or general lack thereof) I'm not sure that it's ever going to have the kind of terms of reference you're looking for. However there is certainly documentation. I would suggest looking at: https://www.ripe.net/participate/ripe/the-history-of-ripe https://www.ripe.net/publications/docs/ripe-001 The WG Charter: https://www.ripe.net/participate/ripe/wg/anti-abuse I'm sure you've already read the PDP document, but it's worth linking as well: https://www.ripe.net/publications/docs/ripe-642 Brian Brian Nisbet, Network Operations Manager HEAnet Limited, Ireland's Education and Research Network 1st Floor, 5 George's Dock, IFSC, Dublin 1 Registered in Ireland, no 275301 tel: +35316609040 fax: +35316603666 web: http://www.heanet.ie/ On 10/08/2016 07:34, Ronald F. Guilmette wrote:

I have a lot of very visible character flaws, but I like to think that at least I'm not reticent when it comes to admitting my own abundant ignorance, or about asking for help to correct that, when appropriate.

I've been asked if, rather than just howling at the moon (which I admit is my usual modus operandi :-) I might not, on this occasion, also or instead like to draft some sort of concrete policy proposal.

That is an eminently reasonable suggestion/request under the circumstances.

I would like to try to do that, but obviously, I am wading into deep waters here... deep in the sense of there being quite a lot of personal feelings and personal principals... sometimes in agreement... sometimes in conflict... that might relate rather directly to the issues at hand. Agreement on any proposal in this area would likely be elusive, even if the drafter had a deep understanding of RIPE, as an organization, which I admit that I don't. Not yet anyway.

What's I'm trying to get at is just this:

I think that it would be a waste of everybody's time... not just mine but everybody's... if I was to draft a policy suggestion that is somehow at odds with one or more of the fundamental and/or long-held principals of RIPE, the organization. (As an illustration, here in America it would be kind-of entirely silly for any legislator to propose a bill to lock up anybody who says the word "Nee!" because that would quite obviously be in direct conflict with our founding document, The U.S. Constitution, and more specifically, in conflict with the First Amendment thereto.)

So here is where I must publically admit my abundant ignorance. Today I tried for awhile to seek out the overall "Charter of RIPE"... its "constitution" if you will. I felt that before I draft anything, it would be wise of me to go back to first principals, basic common beliefs, and already-agreed-to fundamentals. I should read, study, and think about these before I draft anything. What are the high level goals and highest aspirations of the organization? I should familiarize myself with these things -- *before* attempting to draft anything.

But for the life of me, google as I might, I was unable to find any document online that purported to be the overall Charter of RIPE. If someone could point me to that, I would much appreciate it. (I have found many documents that describe in great detail various individual policies and procedures, but nothing that, at the highest level, enumerates the intent and purpose of the organization. I cannot bring myself to believe that no such fundamental document exists, so I just have to hope now that some kind soul will point me at it. That would be most helpful.)

Regards, rfg