RE: [ssac-gnso-irdwg] what do we require from IRD? Question (1c)

["Andrei Kolesnikov" <andrei@xxxxxxxx>]

Hello Jay, hello Dave!

Few thoughts based on local language experience.

> 
> Yes precisely that - the registry should accept registrations in
> whatever scripts/languages the registrars can support.
> 
> There are some fundamental questions here:
> 1.  Is a gTLD a genuinely global TLD or a TLD based in a specific
> country that requires the language of that country?

I don't see a difference. 

> 2.  Who needs to be able to understand the registration data - the
> registry, registrar or both?

Not only. The international connections must be kept for
different kind of deals (legal, law, etc).

> 3.  What actions on a registration is a registry incapable of
> performing if they do not understand the registration data, that they
> currently do now?
> 
> Without thinking it through fully, my answers would be genuinely
> global, registrar only, none.
> 
> > I could envision
> > this working in a thin registry, but is the consequence that much of
> the
> > registration data are locally understood but potentially unusable by
> some or
> > all non-local users?
> 
> This will always be the case because there is no global
> language/script.  Insisting all data is in both the local language and
> ASCII will not make it universally usable.  There are plenty of people
> who will not understand either.

I disagree in regards to ascii. 

As of today, ascii is the universal method of data representation
in whois. I understand, as internet emerges in the local non-latin 
communities, more and more local scripts will be used in service 
applications (not to mention content, it always in local L). 
As for law enforcement, legal guys, tax inspectors and other
local/international civil and governmental organizations -  
they read and understand information in ascii, educational level
allows it. (at least within ccNSO country members). 

I believe, that universal ascii representation of domain properties (as
discussed in this thread) must be required. To better serve local
community, data can be represented in local language/script. There 
is no technical restrictions for web representation and few problems
with traditional command string (pipe, scripts, etc) for various 
*ix platforms. These problems must be resolved due to IDN era. 

Two examples. 
The org name of "Spetssvyaz FSO RF" in first example sounds 
meaningless for foreigners, but together with registrar data 
and contacts represented in ascii it is easy to deal with it 
on global scale:  

domain:     KREMLIN.RU
type:       CORPORATE
nserver:    ns.gov.ru.
nserver:    ns.relarn.ru.
nserver:    ns1.gov.ru.
nserver:    ns2.gov.ru.
state:      REGISTERED, DELEGATED, UNVERIFIED
org:        Spetssvyaz FSO RF
phone:      +7 495 6062863
phone:      +7 495 6060333
fax-no:     +7 495 6060333
e-mail:     kozirev@xxxxxx
e-mail:     davdv@xxxxxx
e-mail:     noc@xxxxxx
registrar:  RUCENTER-REG-RIPN
created:    1998.07.22
paid-till:  2010.08.01
source:     TCI
--

The new IDN for Russia: .РФ we also plan to run in ascii at the
beginning. Later, Cyrillic fields will be added to the database, 
but strict ascii representation requirement of all fields 
necessary to establish international contact will stay on:
 
domain:     XN--B1ADEF0BAN2H.XN--P1AI
idn:        здоровье.рф
state:      REGISTERED, NOT DELEGATED, VERIFIED
org:        "New Technologies" Ltd.
phone:      +7 495 7629667
phone:      +7 495 2871285
fax-no:     +7 495 2871285
e-mail:     office@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
registrar:  RUCENTER-REG-RF
created:    2009.11.25
paid-till:  2010.11.25
source:     TCI

> 
> The same fact shows where the problem is with insisting on local +
> ASCII - if someone lives in country C and only speaks L and writes it
> in S then how can they register a domain if they arerequired to also
> give the data in ASCII?  Either they enter rubbish, expect the
> registrar to do it or give up, none of which are acceptable.

I gave you example of rubbish org name in domain, which belongs to
our president: kremlin.ru. However the data for establishing a contact 
with domain master and registrar is absolutely clear. The only 
requirement, the universal (international) presentation of domain data 
must be in ASCII. 
22 of Russian registrars and 2.5 mln domain owners have no problem with 
it even though they are Russians, speak/read in Russian and at 
least half  of them don't speak English at all.
Frankly, I don't see other solution for universal international
representation of registration data. 

My assumption is very simple. If one wants to register domain and 
operate some kind of internet app, he/she must be able to 
read/type in ascii the interpretations of their names in local
language. If this assumption is wrong, there is no need to
continue this discussion. Because within few years half of the
domain name data in the world will be in local languages/scripts.
However, maybe this is also fine as a conclusion of working group - 
Screw it - let it be in local script only, give some business to
translation agencies :)  

And *ix port 43 whois must be fixed for IDNs. 

--andrei