RE: Alternatives (was Re: whois broke again?)

["Roeland M.J. Meyer" <rmeyer () mhsc com>]

> From: bmanning () vacation karoshi com
> [mailto:bmanning () vacation karoshi com]
> Sent: Tuesday, February 22, 2000 6:47 AM
> > > bmanning () vacation karoshi com
> > > Sent: Monday, February 21, 2000 5:11 PM
> >
> > > > While I think that Bill Manning's DNS TXT suggestion is clever, and
> > > > nicely distributed, it requires a lot of effort.
> > >
> > >   actually, I think both efforts have about the same level
> > >   of effort.  In one case, its concentrated in a single place,
> > >   in the other, its all over the place.
> >
> > The nice thing about central is that things will get done, or not done,
> > consistantly. You tend to strike a closure point at some time. In the
> > distributed "all over the place" model, things may never be
> consistent, nor
> > will they ever be complete. It is also difficult to enforce quality
> > standards.
>
>       Hum, is this an argument for reconsituting "Ma Bell"?

No it isn't, you mistake my intentions. I was just weighing out each end of
the spectrum.

>       One of the strengths of the Internet is its distributed nature.

Tell that to DOC/NTIA/ICANN. I'm with Stef and the ORSC in this, aka; the
opposition (see: www.dnso.net).

>       And the trend is in this direction with the addition of new
>       IP aware products (cell phones, networked "gadgets", et.al.)
>       Trying to retain a centralized structure is (IMHO) doomed to
>       failure.  Its better to have broadly available standards that
>       can be enforced at the provider/subscriber boundary and then
>       let the market "bloom" rather than have a single forcing function
>       that everything must run through before proper operations can
>       occur.

Finding that sweet-spot has been elusive.

>       We might as well argue for the reconstitution of the InterNIC
>       and the abolishment of RIPE, APNIC, ARIN. You'll get "things ...
>       done, or not done consistantly." and will "strike a closure point
>       at some time".

Actually, RIPE/APINIC/ARIN is too centralized for my taste. <grin>

>       Striking the balance is hard but I expect that the trend is away
>       from centralized services.

Not according to DOC/NTIA/ICANN <sigh>.