On Monday, September 15, 2003, at 12:09 PM, Pascal Julienne wrote:
I haven't meant to establish the fee schedule. I just gave an example of how this could work. The pricing formula and the different services one might want to offer would have to be studied more. To me it is just good economic principle to offer different rates and different services and that the money gotten goes toward these services.
The point I was trying to make is that if you really want to have packages, not everyone will be interested in access to registration services. There are organisations interested in coordination activities carried out by the RIPE NCC while at the same time not wanting to become an LIR. This just illustrates the fact that the RIPE NCC, while performing the RIR function for the RIPE region, is more than an LIR. Perhaps it is worth spending some time looking at the feasibility (or not) of service packages in the context of the RIPE NCC, keeping in mind some basics needs such as the need for stability already expressed by Daniel.
As far as EU is concerned, yes I am aware that RIPE takes care of more than EU but I don't think it is an obstacle. In fact I think EU has to spend money for Africa for instance and a non profit organisation should be a good candidate for grant.
Certainly, the EU could spend some money in Africa. I am sure a lot of European citizens would agree with that statement.
Lately on the different mailing lists there has been a lot of talks about RIPE costs, Fees, economics, internet being more and more a factor in the economy, etc yet at the same time I see little discussion on marketing aspects, sales, normal accounting practices (analyzing what income comes in, for what and what are the real costs).
I agree, though perhaps sales is not the best word to describe activities in this context and marketing is what has frequently been called outreach.
I sure don't mean to be over critical because I appreciate the RIPE and what it does but it seems to me that non-profit is viewed as non-business. That is not the case, one can be non-profit yet deal in costs and pricing issues, marketing, etc and ALSO financial relationship with government institution. In short be a full fledge business which makes money that is reinvested in its operating and not distributed as profit.
From my personal point of view, it is quite OK to be critical about RIPE and the RIPE NCC, as long as the criticism is constructive. I don't personally appreciate the responses of people who seem to take any sort of opinion expressed about RIPE requesting improvement as a direct attack. Cheers, Joao