Karl,
On Thu, 6 May 1999, Karl Auerbach wrote:
> The whois database is part and parcel, a necessary element of DNS
> operation. It is impossible (or at least unreasonable) to conceive of
> running a TLD zone file without keeping track of who is associated with
> each second level domain.
Actually, that's incorrect. The DNS SOA record shows who produced the
record and according to the RFC's the postmaster@... address is mandatory.
There is just no technical *NEED* to have more data.
In fact .NA does not give out this information for its registrants and
that has been working for almost 8 years.
> The two parts - zone file and whois/contact database have always been
> two parts of a whole. The whois/contact database is useful in and of
> itself, but the zone file starts to disintegrate and becomes rapidly
> worthless without the whois/contact database -- without the contact
> database it is impossible to validate updates, or even to collect fees.
That's opinion, not fact. You actually strengthen NSI's argument, if you
look at it closely: They were hired to produce the ZONES without which the
Internet doesn't work.
They ALSO produced, the WHOIS data base. As far as I am concerned, this is
their intellectual property and they have all the rights in the world to
market it
> Indeed, the fact that NSF approved fees contains an implicit statement
> that there is a contact database upon which the contractor, NSI, can
> administer to process renewals.
Yes, and? Does it say this must be handed over?
> The whois database is about as ancillary to DNS as wings are ancillary to
> a flying airplane.
Nonsense!
el
--
Dr. Eberhard W. Lisse\ / Swakopmund State Hospital
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> * | Resident Medical Officer
Private Bag 5004 \ / +264 81 1246733 (c) 64 461005(h) 461004(f)
Swakopmund, Namibia ;____/ Domain Coordinator for NA-DOM (el108)
