<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=us-ascii"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><br><div><div>On Jun 25, 2013, at 13:27 , Andrew Alston <<a href="mailto:alston.networks@gmail.com">alston.networks@gmail.com</a>> wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; font-size: 14px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><div>Actually Owen, </div><div><br></div><div>I disagree, the policy in no way asks for discount, the policy says that a discount that is current applies. If no such discount is current as per the board decisions on such, it will not apply. This was made clear in the meeting when you were not present. </div></div></blockquote><div><br></div>It certainly expands the scope of the discount as it surely expands the address space encompassed by the discount or the policy would serve no purpose.</div><div><br></div><div><blockquote type="cite"><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; font-size: 14px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; "><div>At the moment at board discretion, a 50% discount applies to academia, the policy merely maintains that discount. If that discount were to be revoked, there would be no discount for that clause in the policy to apply to and no discount would be applied. </div></div></blockquote><div><br></div>I am aware of this. I did not say it created a new discount. If I am incorrect in assuming that you support the current discount, I apologize. So long as you do support the current discount, I stand by my statement that you both want the current discount AND special treatment for academic institutions (as indicated by this policy). I believe that is a perfectly valid position and I take no issue with it.</div><div><br></div><div>However, it is the polar opposite of a claim that this policy combined with the existing discount would have no negative fiscal impact on AfriNIC as it clearly takes space from the free pool which could (potentially) be used by organizations which would not receive a discount and distributes it (at a discount) to organizations that would receive a discount.</div><div><br></div><div>I'm not saying that is necessarily a bad thing. Indeed, I think it might well be a good thing, but I am uncertain either way.</div><div><br></div><div>I merely seek to make sure that the community is considering the facts as they are and not as either of the very passionate sides of this current debate would like them to be sugar coated.</div><div><br></div><div>Owen</div><div><br></div><br></body></html>