[rpd] [Last Call] Draft Policy Proposal - Hierarchical Names for New AS-SETs (AFPUB-2026-ASN-001-DRAFT02)

[Fundiswa Nadia Maseko]

Dear Hendrik,

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions.

I think we actually agree on one important point: hierarchical naming
authenticates who creates the object, but it does not guarantee that the
contents of the object are accurate. That was the distinction I was trying
to make.

Where we still differ is on whether that justifies making the naming
convention mandatory. I understand your position that this is the narrowest
solution available, but I'm not yet convinced that less restrictive
alternatives have been ruled out. I still think that point deserves more
discussion.

I also don't believe that the fact that other RIRs have adopted the same
approach automatically means AFRINIC must do so. It's useful context, but I
don't think it replaces the need to show why this is necessary for our own
policy process.

I'm not trying to oppose operational improvements. I'm simply asking
whether a mandatory policy is the only way to achieve the intended outcome.
I think that's a reasonable question for the Working Group to discuss.


Kind regards,

Fundiswa Nadia Maseko

On Sun, 19 Jul 2026, 20:34 Saul Stein, <saul at enetworks.co.za> wrote:

> Dear all,
>
> Well, I have just finished my popcorn… sadly there wasn’t enough to read
> the bombardment of emails, so I didn’t.
>
>
>
> What I did see though, was a number of non-original / cvopy and paste
> objections. Not only that, but more importantly, they do not raise any
> valid concerns about the proposal that has reached final call.
>
>
>
> So with that in mind, I fully support this proposal.
>
>
>
> I’d have to be part of a community group where you have to have a valid
> NIC to post…
>
>
>
> Regards
>
> Saul
>
>
>
>
>
> *From:* Hendrik Visage via RPD <rpd at afrinic.net>
> *Sent:* Sunday, 19 July 2026 20:25
> *To:* Fundiswa Nadia Maseko <fundiswanadia2 at gmail.com>
> *Cc:* rpd at afrinic.net
> *Subject:* Re: [rpd] [Last Call] Draft Policy Proposal – Hierarchical
> Names for New AS-SETs (AFPUB-2026-ASN-001-DRAFT02)
>
>
>
> Dear Fundiswa,
>
> “Has the proposal demonstrated mandatory naming is the least restrictive
> solution?" — Yes,
>
> "Do you disagree that hierarchical naming authenticates object creation
> rather than membership accuracy?" — No.
>
> These are the specific answers requested.
> If you still oppose this proposal, we ask that you engage these answers
> first — in particular the deployment-coordination asymmetry raised —
> instead of repeating the original objections without technical substances
> ------------------------------
>
> Hendrik Visage
> Director/Owner
> HeViS.Co Systems t/a Envisage Cloud Solutions
> hvisage at hevis.co.za
> GSM/SMS/Signal: +27-84-612-5345
> InstantMessenger: https://t.me/hvisage
>
> On 19 Jul 2026, at 19:54, Fundiswa Nadia Maseko wrote:
>
> Dear Ben,
>
>
>
> Thank you for your response.
>
>
>
> Respectfully, I believe it is more productive to address the arguments
> themselves than to make assumptions about the people presenting them or the
> tools they may have used.
>
>
>
> If you believe the objections are technically incorrect, I would
> appreciate it if you could identify which specific points you disagree
> with. For example, do you disagree that hierarchical naming authenticates
> object creation rather than the accuracy of object membership? Or do you
> believe the proposal has demonstrated that mandatory naming is the least
> restrictive solution available?
>
>
>
> Those are technical questions that can be examined and debated. Dismissing
> opposing views as "AI bots" does not, on its own, explain why the arguments
> are wrong.
>
> I believe the PDWG benefits most when participants engage with the
> substance of each other's reasoning, regardless of how a contribution was
> drafted.
>
>
>
>
>
> Kind regards,
>
> Fundiswa Nadia Maseko
>
>
>
> On Sun, 19 Jul 2026, 19:13 Ben Roberts - AfriNIC, <ben.roberts at afrinic.net>
> wrote:
>
> Fundiswa,
>
> But the AI bots opposing the AS-SET policy aren’t making technical
> arguments. They are just regurgitating and re-using the same script. None
> of them seem to know or care what an AS-SET is, or what network owners use
> them for.
>
>
>
> Cheers,
>
> Ben
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>
>
> On 19 Jul 2026, at 17:56, Fundiswa Nadia Maseko <fundiswanadia2 at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> 
>
> *Dear PDWG,*
>
> I have been following this discussion with interest, and I would like to
> express my concern about the direction it has taken.
>
> The Policy Development Process should evaluate technical arguments on
> their merits. Whether a participant drafted a message unaided, received
> editorial assistance, or used modern writing tools does not determine
> whether the reasoning is sound. Speculating about authorship instead of
> addressing the substance risks distracting the Working Group from the
> policy questions before it.
>
> I am also concerned by suggestions that contributions should be
> disregarded simply because of assumptions about how they were written. If
> there are factual or technical errors, they should be identified and
> discussed. That is how consensus is strengthened.
>
> The questions raised by several participants remain legitimate subjects
> for technical debate: whether the proposal has demonstrated operational
> necessity, whether the proposed intervention is proportionate, and whether
> less restrictive alternatives have been adequately considered.
>
> I therefore encourage all participants to continue engaging with the
> substance of the proposal while maintaining the respectful and professional
> standards expected within the PDWG.
>
> Kind regards,
>
> Fundiswa Nadia Maseko
>
>
>
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