Re: [gnso-pednr-dt] Whois Output from "Thin Registry"

[ron wickersham <rjw@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Tue, 22 Sep 2009, Michael D. Palage wrote:

> Expiration date is included in thin registry output.
---snip---

> Updated Date: 07-apr-2005
>
> Creation Date: 07-jul-1998
>
> Expiration Date: 06-jul-2014
yes, an "expiration date" is included in whois responses...

but if that Expiration date were to say 20-sep-2010 (and Network Solutions 
asked me to help them know their registration status ;-) ) then on this 
date, 22-sep-2009, i could not tell them that their domain was ok, because 
it might in reality have just expired and that although the domain's DNS 
servers are working today, i can't assure the registrant that they will be 
working tomorrow.
isn't it reasonable that whois (thick and/or thin) unambiguously tell 
everyone (both the registrant or a registrant's advisor and the general 
public as well) the actual state of the registration?
and that the registrar's and/or reseller's web page also display the 
actual state of the registration?
this is not to say that the installed whois mechanisms have this 
capability, nor that it would be trivial to implement changes.  but i do 
want to point out that the current system is not transparent and does not 
give the registrant "opportunity" to properly monitor and inform 
himself/herself to take action to recover a domain which has just expired.
-ron

Ron Wickersham