Re: [ga] Re: [ncdnhc-discuss] WLS proposal

[Marc Schneiders <marc@fuchsia.bijt.net>]

On Wed, 19 Jun 2002, at 15:26 [=GMT+0100], Olivier MJ Crepin-Leblond wrote:

> Why is "expiry" information published and openly accessed by the rest of the
> world in the WHOIS database ? Does this help anybody apart from domain
> name hoarders/pirates/speculators ?

Yes, people that want to register a domain that expires to use it.

> Let me explain my proposed solution clearly:
>
> 1. removal of the "expires" info in the publicly accessed WHOIS database

Is in the ICANN contracts...

> 2. before expiry, the registrar send out usual renewal notices, as it is
> done now.
> 3. at expiry, the registrar notifies the domain name holder that the domain
> has
> expired, and keeps it "on ice" for 30 days during which time the domain is
> completely
> removed from the WHOIS database - ie. it falls in obscurity
> 4. if the domain name holder then renews the domain, it re-appears in the
> WHOIS
> database, and all is fine
> 5. if the domain name holder prefers not to renew the domain, the domain's
> details are erased from the database altogether, and the domain falls into
> obscurity. Anybody could re-register it again, but they first need to find
> out
> if it exists, and that involves a lot of work.

Not at all. Scripts, cron.

> Remember that automatic data
> mining of the WHOIS database contradicts the AUP of the registrar.

Mining is about getting email addresses for spam. Trying to find out about
a domain or a limited set of domains is not.

Also, trying to grab a released domain does not operate over whois,
obviously. One just tries to register is every so often. So your plan will
only increase the hammering on the registry...

> How much more difficult can it be than this ?
> It is the fairest way to run the DNS.

It is merely a variant of 'security by obscurity'. What is worse: big
players can work around your scheme (by setting up a shaddow whois for
interesting domains _with_ expiry dates); ordinary users of domain names
cannot. Your plan will increase the hold of speculators on names.

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