Re: [alac] Redirection of non-existing domain names, again

[Thomas Roessler <roessler@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 2003-09-15 07:08:27 -0700, Wendy Seltzer wrote:
> Perhaps we can add the "stability" concern to Thomas's draft.

> >        The At-Large Advisory Committee is deeply concerned by
> >        recent reports that registries might plan to return resource
> >        records in response to DNS queries for names that have not
> >        been registered by any registrant.  We understand that the
> >        records to be returned would then point to a special search
> >        engine, that would return a list of possible corrected
> >        domain names to users' web browsers.
> >
> >        This possible practice raises grave technical concerns, as
> >        it would de facto remove error diagnostics from the DNS
> >        protocol, and would replace them by an error handling method
> >        that is tailored for HTTP, which is just one of the many
> >        internet protocols that make use of the DNS.  We will leave
> >        it for others to explain the details of these concerns

, but note that returning resource records in a way which is
countrary to the very design of the DNS certainly does not promote
the stability of the Internet.

> >
> >        For registrants of new domain names, implementation of the
> >        proposed scheme would most likely imply that domain name
> >        servers' caches all over the net will be poisoned with
> >        records pointing to a registry-sponsored search engine for a
> >        certain time after a domain name has been registered.  This
> >        would have the effect of diverting net users from
> >        newly-established offers.
> >
> >        From the individual Internet user's point of view, an
> >        implementation of these rumored plans would centralize error
> >        handling at the registry that is rightly done in application
> >        software run on users' computers.  Users are deprived of the
> >        opportunity to chose those error handling strategies best
> >        suited for their needs, by chosing appropriate products
> >        available on a competitive marketplace. Software makers are
> >        deprived of the opportunity to compete by developing
> >        innovative tools that best match the user's needs.
> >
> >        We would recommend that the board take whatever steps are
> >        necessary to stop registry operators from implementing such
> >        a service.
> >
> >        At the same time, we observe that possible market demand for
> >        a typo-resolving service at the registry level could easily
> >        be implemented by creating a service separate from the
> >        registry's domain name resolution functions.  This service
> >        could then compete with other offers in the marketplace.  Of
> >        course, this would also lead to questions concerning the
> >        equal access to zone files of players possibly competing
> >        with each other in this market.
> >
> >Regards,
> >--
> >Thomas Roessler  <roessler@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> >At-Large Advisory Committee: http://alac.info/
> 
> --
> Wendy Seltzer -- wendy@xxxxxxxxxxx
> Staff Attorney, Electronic Frontier Foundation
> Fellow, Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard Law School
> http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/seltzer.html
> Chilling Effects: http://www.chillingeffects.org/
> 

-- 
Thomas Roessler  <roessler@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
At-Large Advisory Committee: http://alac.info/