Re: IP addresses are now assets

[Jimmy Hess <mysidia () gmail com>]

On Thu, Dec 1, 2011 at 10:04 PM, Michael R. Wayne <wayne () staff msen com> wrote:
> From http://www.detnews.com/article/20111201/BIZ/112010483/1361/Borders-selling-Internet-addresses-for-$786-000
>   Borders selling Internet addresses for $786,000

Your IP address is an "asset"  like the office you rent to setup a business in.
Happening to be the occupant gives you certain rights, but it doesn't
automatically make the space some property that the occupant automatically
gains ownership of.

If your lease permits it, you can probably re-sell your right to
occupy the space,
so long as the lease says you can do that, and you follow all the terms and
requirements agreed upon.

So there's no issue with Borders "selling" addresses, so long as the
proper policies are being followed
for transfer of addresses.


What underlies all the "occupants" of IP address space, are agreements
with IP address
registries, and the community,  to provide unique usage of IP addresses.

The existence of unique IP addresses exist only because of the
community and the address
registries' efforts;  the community "owns"  the uniqueness of IP
addresses, which is a kind
of intangible property,  because they built this,  and you own what you build.

That is... uniqueness of IP address entries in an address registry you
operate doesn't happen by accident.

--
-JH