[ga] FWD: Some comments on WHOIS (third world perspective)

["Michael D. Palage" <michael@palage.com>]

Here are some additional comments that I received that I would like to share
and which I believe supports a more flexible approach to inaccurate whois.

Although I remain committed to solving the Whois problems, I believe only a
comprehensive solution addressing the various issues/concerns will work. I
regret to say that a piecemeal solution is likely to fail.

Mike

-----Original Message-----
From: Srikanth Narra [mailto:sri@domainmates.com]
Sent: Wednesday, October 23, 2002 2:29 AM
To: michael@palage.com
Subject: Some comments on WHOIS (third world perspective)


Briefly, from third world perspective here is what I
have to say, from personal experience.

India / Africa / Philippines :-

Quite often the domain name is registered by a friend
living in US on behalf of and in the name of someone
living in these countries.

The email address is not accessed often. Maybe once in
a while. The sites if they exist are brochureware'ish.
The phone number might very well be neighbours not own. (Not to mention
language issues - person picking the phone might now speck English or
comprehend the topic at hand)
The only reliable thing might be the postal address.
The mail takes (easily) over a month in some cases to reach from
US.

Given this circumstance, cancelling domain name or putting it on hold
because someone did not answer a phone or email in 15 days is pretty much
unrealistic from their perspective.

The best confirmation of a domainname is the fact that
someone is actually paying for it. The reliable
mechanism to check WHOIS information might be at the
time of renewal. And the method of communication snail
mail.

These people will be at extreme disadvantage.

China / MiddleEast :-

Accurate WHOIS information in case of sites might be at
physical / social risk to the registrant.

Bottomline -

What is the exact benefit the domain name owners get
from all the accurate WHOIS information ?

*** (New additions I did not have on earlier email).
Reseller perspective -

Reselling domain name registrations is a very risky venture given all the
legal and trademark hassles. Lot of registrars seem to be getting into it
(especially to be able to target foreign markets) as the local reseller has
more feel and proximity to the market.

With shifting sand situation it places the resellers at much greater risk
and turbulence.

***
Foreign exchange regulations - Not all countries have freely convertible
currency. This forces (friend paying overseas, local reseller vs. US based
register usage,etc) some innovative methods to get on net.. (for background
perspective).


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