Mandelson sniffing around Nominet

Rik · Oct 29, 2008, 17:31:46

El Reg reports that "Ministers led by Peter Mandelson are considering a power grab at the independent company at the centre of UK's internet infrastructure, The Register can reveal.

Mandelson's Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) has asked Nominet, which is in charge of the .co.uk registry, to justify its independence from Whitehall.

In a letter dated October 15, senior civil servant David Hendon, BERR's Director of Business Relations, asked Nominet chairman Bob Gilbert: "What arguments would you employ to convince my Ministers that the present relationship between government and the company is appropriate in ensuring that public policy objectives in relation to the management of the domain name system and the standing of the UK in the internet community are understood and taken into account?"

Given the Govt's record on IT, I dread what might follow.

Glenn · Oct 29, 2008, 17:45:06

All he needs to answer is some thing along the lines of "We have had no major issues with IT upgrades through the course of our history, nor do we lose our clients personal data on a regular basis. Can you say the same of the past and present governments?"

Rik · Oct 29, 2008, 17:47:32

Nice try, Glenn, but I suspect the Prince of Darkness will want rather more blood.

Glenn · Oct 29, 2008, 17:51:05

How about, P*** off, come back once you have proved the government can run an IT project?

Rik · Oct 29, 2008, 17:57:02

Much better.

Inactive · Oct 29, 2008, 23:53:58

Corfu...Russian...Yacht....

Rik · Oct 30, 2008, 09:00:41

We have enough problems with Russians on the net.

somanyholes · Oct 30, 2008, 10:51:23

QuoteWhat concerns me is that the government has shown itself not competent to run the economy - what will happen if we put them in charge of DNS?"

sum's it up very nicely

DarkStar · Oct 31, 2008, 10:42:47

Quote from: Rik on Oct 29, 2008, 17:47:32
Nice try, Glenn, but I suspect the Prince of Darkness will want rather more blood.

LORD of Darkness if you don't mind Rik

You must be careful, you'll finish up on their list politically incorrect undesirables. I'll be there to welcome you, I've been there a long time

What they want is total control and domination of us serfs, the Stasi didn't even compare to this lot. Better shut up now or I'll be getting knocked down by a car when I'm out for a walk in the lanes 8)

Ian

Rik · Oct 31, 2008, 10:48:41

I watched 'In the name of the father' last night. Given the injustice the State could perpetrate with 7 days detention, it frightens me what they could manage with 42.

Inactive · Oct 31, 2008, 10:54:15

I watched a programme last week about the information held by the NHS on us.. alarming stuff.

Rik · Oct 31, 2008, 11:00:02

Especially when you read this:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/7700075.stm

Simon · Oct 31, 2008, 11:03:34

Surely they've got to tighten up on this soon? Perhaps they should go back to having wads of paperwork, which may not be as easy to 'lose' as a CD or memory stick.

Rik · Oct 31, 2008, 11:09:13

This was paper files, Simon, left lying around. (Curiously, no-one seems to have complained about theft...)

Simon · Oct 31, 2008, 11:10:46

I may not have been referring to that particular article!

Rik · Oct 31, 2008, 11:12:03

Your ambiguity is showing.

Simon · Oct 31, 2008, 11:19:31

Oops, I thought I had it zipped up.

DarkStar · Oct 31, 2008, 11:31:05

Quote from: Inactive on Oct 31, 2008, 10:54:15
I watched a programme last week about the information held by the NHS on us.. alarming stuff.

Trouble is they keep losing it

somanyholes · Oct 31, 2008, 11:38:54

QuoteTrouble is they keep losing it

The nhs response to this would be "losing what?"

Rik · Oct 31, 2008, 11:39:24

IT and it.