From ZaInternetHistory
VCEO09B <<< To Vint Cerf on 9 November 1989
cc:Hostmaster@nic.ddn.mil
Vint Cerf
The hostmaster@nic.ddn.mil has suggested that I contact you about the
registration of the South African domain, .ZA. This THE South
Africa, and I hope that it now has an image of a land of change,
because that is what is happening here. I am the chairman of the
technical committee of the South African Uninet-za network, a
research and academic network that connects about 18 universities and
research institutes in South Africa. There are links to Namibia and
Botswana, and work is in hand to get a link to Zimbabwe.
For some 18 months I have been responsible for the email gateway for
this network. As you can see from my address, it operates through
the Fidonet system, which is not ideal. We have been trying to get
the .ZA mailing domain registered. With this in mind, I attended
Interop 90, and then spent a few hours with Sue Kirkpatrick and Doug
MacGowan at SRI Inc. I learnt for the first time, at Interop, about
the FNC's acceptance of policy-based routing for the Internet, and
that (US) Government sponsorship was no longer a pre-requisite for
connection to the Internet.
SRI are quite willing to connect .ZA, but for understandable reasons
to do with the politics of my country, the suggestion was made that I
seek clearance from yourself and/or Jon Postel, to make sure that
everything is in the clear. The last thing that I would like to see
is for the connection to be broken once it is established.
I am not sure how to proceed. Clearly, my question is "May .ZA be
connected to the Internet", but this will very likely result in you
needing some information about Uninet-za. Hence, I append a
statement of Acceptable Use Guidelines that was laid before the
Uninet-za Control Board on 25 Sept 1990, and I ask if this is the
type of thing that you would need. I should emphasize that the
meeting neither accepted nor rejected those guidelines, as it was not
then understood how important is was to have such a document. My
feeling is that the principles in that document would find favour
with the Uninet-za community, and were it necessary the document (or
something very similar) could be formally accepted.
During Interop 90, I discussed in some detail how Uninet-za might
connect via PSI Inc. PSI (Marty Schofstall, Bill Schrader) would
need all kinds of assurances regarding the (US) Comprehensive
Anti-Apartheid Act, and I have not the slightest doubt that these
would readily be forthcoming and acceptable - we have, at this point
in time, provided such stuff to the US end of our existing link
(Randy Bush, <randy@m2xenix.psg.com>).
Please let me know how to proceed.
Mike Lawrie
Director Computing Services, Rhodes University, South Africa
<ccml.rures@f4.n494.z5.fidonet.org>
--- Rhodes University condemns racism and racial segregation and
strives to maintain a strong tradition of non-discrimination with
regard to race and gender in the constitution of its student body, in
the selection and promotion of its staff and in its administration.
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Received 24/11/90 at 10:09:33
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Date: 22 Nov 90 19:21:00
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From: <vcerf@NRI>
Subject: Re: Registration of .ZA domain
From m2xenix!NRI.Reston.VA.US!vcerf
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From: vcerf@NRI
To: CCML RURES <CCML.RURES@f4.n494.z5.fidonet.org>
Date: Fri, 23 Nov 90 12:54:15 -0500
Cc: vcerf@NRI.Reston.VA.US, iab@venera.isi.edu, wgc@fnc.gov,
Mike,
I am pleased to report that the IAB, in consultation with
the Federal Networking Council working group chairmen,
concluded that the recent policy expressed in RFC1174
and endorsed by the FNC provides grounds for positive
consideration of the request by Rhodes University to
take responsibility for the .ZA domain.
This message, which is copied to IAB, FNC and to the
NIC hostmaster, formally expressed the IAB opinion that
such assignment of responsibility for the .ZA domain
to Rhodes University, South Africa, is appropriate and
should be acted upon by the SRI Network Information
Center.
There is a separate matter, concerning the physical
means by which your system is linked to the Internet.
At present, it appears that U.S. policy would restrict
the direct connection of a U.S. Government-sponsored
network to your network in South Africa. Indirect
connections through third parties would appear to
be acceptable. We will be validating this interpretation
shortly. I believe your present means of connection
demonstrates the point about indirect links. Linkage
through UUNET/ALTERNET, PSInet, a public X.25 net or
through a European or other network all appear to be
within the allowed options.
Vint Cerf
Chairman
Internet Activities Board
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VCEO24B <<<< To Vint Cerf on 24 November 1989
Cc: Vic Shaw <vicshaw.frd@f4.n494.z5.fidonet.org>
Vint
>I am pleased to report that the IAB, in consultation with
>the Federal Networking Council working group chairmen,
>concluded that the recent policy expressed in RFC1174
>and endorsed by the FNC provides grounds for positive
>consideration of the request by Rhodes University to
>take responsibility for the .ZA domain.
This is really and truly a great day for us here in South Africa!
Many thanks indeed for all of your help in clarifying the situation
for us, and (I strongly suspect) of helping us. Let's hope that this
is fully justified by the future, and that communications and
co-working as offered by the Internet helps to break down a good
percentage of the remaining barriers in this country.
The connection will, indeed, be an indirect one.
There is a point that arises from your paragraph above, viz that
Rhodes University take responsibility for the .ZA domain. This
Rhodes University is willing and able to do. However, our
preference, and indeed our request as quoted below in my note to you
of Nov 15, is that the Uninet-za Control Board be the administrating
body of .ZA - this would be done by the Uninet-za Office, run by Mr
Vic Shaw.
>[extract of note to you of 15 Nov]
>One query of yours is readily cleared up. The administration of the
>.ZA domain would be done by the Uninet-za Control Board, not by
>Rhodes University. The Uninet-za project is seed-funded by the
>Foundation for Research Development, which is the body that oversees
>all university research in South Africa, and dishes out taxpayers'
>money according to a method of peer evaluation. It is nowhere near
>the list of "Apartheid Enforcing Entities", and I guess that a call
>to someone at your Export Administration would confirm this.
It may well be best to let the matter stand as explained in your note
of 23 Nov if there is *any* likelihood of a different decision on
connectivity if Rhodes University does not administer .ZA.
Once again, a big thankyou.
Mike
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Mike Lawrie
Director Computing Services, Rhodes University, South Africa
<ccml.rures@f4.n494.z5.fidonet.org>
--- Rhodes University condemns racism and racial segregation and
strives to maintain a strong tradition of non-discrimination with
regard to race and gender in the constitution of its student body, in
the selection and promotion of its staff and in its administration.
******************************************************************
SRIO25B <<<< To Sue Kirkpatrick of SRI on 25 November 1989
Sue
No doubt by now you have read the news from Vint Cerf about the .ZA
connecting to the Internet. Great stuff!
There is a minor issue, viz that Vint has stated:-
>and endorsed by the FNC provides grounds for positive
>consideration of the request by Rhodes University to
>take responsibility for the .ZA domain.
I have dropped Vint a note to indicate that it should preferably be
the Uninet-za Office and/or the Uninet-za Control Board that should
do the administering (ie Vic Shaw's Office) rather than "Rhodes
University". Clearly, I do not wish to push the point so hard that
any form of .ZA connection is placed in jeopardy.
Right now, we will be working out the best way to do the connection,
and to find the best point of entry - PSInet or Alternet.
Thanks for all of your encouragement and help.
Mike
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Mike Lawrie
Director Computing Services, Rhodes University, South Africa
<ccml.rures@f4.n494.z5.fidonet.org>
--- Rhodes University condemns racism and racial segregation and
strives to maintain a strong tradition of non-discrimination with
regard to race and gender in the constitution of its student body, in
the selection and promotion of its staff and in its administration.
******************************************************************
SRIO28B <<<< To Doug MacGowan of SRI on 28 November 1989
Doug
....[cut]....
Could you clear up your interpretation of what Vint meant about .ZA?
I have a bunch of sceptics here in South Africa, who perhaps are
justified in their views - after all, it was I not them who was the
person who heard all of the PBC stuff at Interop, who visited you
folk and had the detailed discussions, etc. In short, some locals do
not believe that .ZA is now cleared to connect to the Internet (as
opposed to be merely a mailing domain).
I understand that Vint has clarified the interpretation by the FNC
about permitting .ZA to *connect* to the Internet, and that Uninet-za
is now cleared to make this connection, which will be via some
third-party service provider such as PSI or Alternet (ie an
"indirect" connection).
My understanding is based on our discussion at SRI, when you and Sue
felt (in light of RFC 1174 etc) that it was OK to connect .ZA, but
because South Africa being what it is, it was just conceivable that
the FNC had not considered the matter of .ZA, (perhaps due to being
too 'hung up' with the E European developments). My understanding of
what Vint has said is that the FNC ruling did actually effectively
grant permission for .ZA to become part of the Internet, and that we
should go for it.
Is this what you understand?
Mike
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Mike Lawrie
Director Computing Services, Rhodes University, South Africa
<ccml.rures@f4.n494.z5.fidonet.org>
--- Rhodes University condemns racism and racial segregation and
strives to maintain a strong tradition of non-discrimination with
regard to race and gender in the constitution of its student body, in
the selection and promotion of its staff and in its administration.
******************************************************************
Received 06/12/90 at 13:10:04
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Date: 05 Dec 90 11:49:20
To: ccml@rures
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From: <HOSTMASTER@NIC.DDN.MIL>
Subject: Re: .ZA issues
From m2xenix!NIC.DDN.MIL!MACGOWAN
From: HOSTMASTER@NIC.DDN.MIL
To: CCML.RURES@f4.n494.z5.fidonet.org
Date: Tue, 4 Dec 90 12:44:51 PST
Cc: hostmaster@NIC.DDN.MIL
Mike -
Thanks for your message and the mailbox for Jacot.
As I understand it, and as far as the NIC is concerned, ZA is now
cleared for full Internet access - not limited to just mail
traffic.
Vint is saying that ZA is now able to fully connect to the Internet
under the guidelines of RFC 1174.
- Douglas MacGowan
Hostmaster
DM
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