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<p>Dear RIPE colleagues and fellow RIPE NCC staff,<br>
<br>
30 years ago today the RIPE NCC, the first of the RIRs, opened its
virtual doors.
Yes it was on April 2nd and not a day earlier as is often wrongly
reported. This is a fact! I was there. The term 'post-factual' was
just being invented.<br>
<br>
An NCC had already been proposed two years earlier: <a
class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="https://www.ripe.net/publications/docs/ripe-019">https://www.ripe.net/publications/docs/ripe-019</a>
. Our purpose, our relationship with RIPE and many of our tasks
today are already expressed clearly in that proposal. The very
first RIPE NCC Activity Plan was ready a year before the start: <a
class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="https://www.ripe.net/publications/docs/ripe-035">https://www.ripe.net/publications/docs/ripe-035</a>
. It took a year to collect the initial funds, a host organisation
and office space.
<br>
<br>
Some friends suggested strongly that I should lead the set-up of
the RIPE NCC. I got the job and signed up for one year, fully
expecting to return to an academic career in computer science. The
rest is, as the saying goes, history. <br>
</p>
<p>By the way, the history of the RIPE NCC is well documented in
quarterly and annual reports and other RIPE documents: <a
class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="https://www.ripe.net/publications/docs">https://www.ripe.net/publications/docs</a>
.
We started with three people and five computers. I have described
the first hours from a geeky perspective five years ago: <a
class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="https://labs.ripe.net/author/dfk/25-years-of-the-ripe-ncc-the-first-hours/">https://labs.ripe.net/author/dfk/25-years-of-the-ripe-ncc-the-first-hours/</a>
.
At the same time we published a short summary of the history with
a photograph of the staff in 1996:
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.ripe.net/publications/news/about-ripe-ncc-and-ripe/celebrating-25-years-of-the-ripe-ncc">https://www.ripe.net/publications/news/about-ripe-ncc-and-ripe/celebrating-25-years-of-the-ripe-ncc</a>
.<br>
<br>
Together we have come a long way. I am proud of all of you, past
and present, who have made the RIPE NCC a success. I am proud of
the strong community we have built and nourished. Recently we have
mastered the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and we are coping
with conflict and terrible wars in our region. I am confident that
with our combined efforts both RIPE and the RIPE NCC will thrive
for a long time to come.
<br>
<br>
Thank you all, past and present staff, past and present board
members, the RIPE community, the membership and all other
supporters!
<br>
<br>
Daniel
</p>
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