----------
From: Jim Fleming[SMTP:JimFleming@unety.net.]
Sent: Thursday, November 21, 1996 9:38 AM
To: 'New Newdom'; 'paul(a)vix.com'; Bob Allisat
Cc: bobm(a)nic.ddn.mil; jamesf(a)arl.mil; Jim Fleming; koda(a)isi.edu;
marcel(a)nsipo.nasa.gov; 'Mark Kosters'; markk(a)netsol.com; matti(a)comedia.se;
psinet-domain-admin(a)psi.com; sneeri(a)ni.umd.edu
Subject: RE: FW: RFC - Roots For Consensus
On Wednesday, November 20, 1996 11:42 PM, Paul A Vixie[SMTP:paul@vix.com]
wrote:
@ > Paul A Vixie wrote:
@ > >(edit)... Each root name server operator (*.ROOT-SERVERS.NET)
@ > >carries exactly the data that the IANA has approved. Never more and
@ > >never less.
@ >
@ > IANA was one fellow with a few
@ > assistants. So this one fellow
@ > tells nine other guys who run these
@ > root servers exactly what names
@ > will or will not be recognized?
@
@ Yes. Think of the root name servers (not "the popular..." or "the
old..."
@ but simply THE ROOT NAME SERVERS) as common carriers. They are respon
sible
@ for accuracy and delivery but not content.
@
Paul,
I think it might be useful to define some common terminology.
Root Name Server
Primarily directs ISP Name Servers to TLD Name Servers
TLD Name Server
Primarily directs ISP Name Servers to SLD Name Servers
SLD Name Server
Primarily directs ISP Name Servers to Web and Mail Servers
ISP Name Server
Primarily serve customers' stub resolvers and interface with
all of the above name servers in a frequency that decreases
from the top (Root) to the Bottom (SLD and below) because
of caching.
No one argues that accuracy and coherence are not important.
In fact, one way to gain better accuracy and coherence is to
make sure that name servers are properly classified, configured,
and maintained.
One of the current problems with the overall DNS system is that
the 9 "popular" Root Name Servers mix (or combine) the function
of a Root Name Server and a TLD Name Server.
In a similar manner, many ISPs combine the function of their
ISP Name Server and one or more SLD Name Servers. This
is especially true in the case where "virtual" domains are used.
There are many reasons why accuracy and coherence are
important. One of the main reasons is to ensure accuracy
in financial accounting records, interstate commerce, and
accurate fullfillment of Federal and State tax laws.
I suggest that everyone operating a Root Name Server and
a TLD Name Server consult with their attorneys and
accountants regarding how income derived from the operation
of those servers has to be properly and "accurately"
attributed to the proper taxing authority at the Federal
and State levels.
One of the reasons why it is important to separate the
Root Name Servers from the TLD Name Servers is because
there may be no income and/or profits derived from
operating a Root Name Server. On the other hand, operating
a .COM TLD Name Server, in a particular State (let's say
Kansas) means that some portion of the income derived
from operating that server and service has to be attributed
to the State of Kansas. That way there will be accuracy
and coherence when companies file their tax returns.
@ > And this is how a critical element
@ > in the communications of 50+
@ > million people was being governed?
@
@ Yes. This is a "principle" and its name is "coherence". (I'm quoting
those
@ words for the benefit of Mr. Fleming, who will probably need to look both
of
@ them up in a dictionary.)
@
@ > What an amateurish, closed and
@ > utterly bankrupt process! Bring
@ > on Root 64 Mr Fleming! NOW! At
@ > least there will be 64 or more
@ > participants. That makes abuses
@ > far more unlikely.
@ > Bob Allisat
@
@ You are arguing in favour of "the tyranny of the majority" and if you'll
@ check your history books you'll see that it hasn't worked out well
whenever
@ it's been tried.
@
@ If you would rather have 64 root name servers that DO NOT LISTEN TO SOME
@ CENTRAL AUTHORITY and each offer their own version of the DNS name space,
@ then you do not understand (a) history, (b) politics, (c) economics,
@ (d) engineering, (e) science, and (f) ethics.
@
Once again, I suggest that people check with their
attorney's and accountants on how tax laws work
at the Federal and State levels.
I believe that these laws have been developed over
hundreds of years and certainly cover (a), (b), (c), and
(f). It seems to me that people who are focused on (d)
and (e) may not understand all of the ramifications of
their actions.
@ "Coherence" is how we got "here" and it's how we'll get from here onward.
@ IANA is changing the authority model so that there will be more lawyers
and
@ more insurance policies and more people able to take the heat, and under
@ that expanded shield there is room for a mechanism that admits more
iTLD's.
@
@ But while we will see an end to the single-person authority model, we
will
@ NOT see an end to the need for, and the presence of, DNS coherence. You
can
@ rail against this and you can wail about this but DNS just will not work
@ without coherence and the Internet citizenry will not be able to get
useful
@ work done without coherence.
@
@ I have directed followups to a mailing list that I do not read. Please
@ continue this discussion there without me.
@
@
Paul, as long as you operate a Root Name Server
and more importantly a TLD Name Server for the
"commercial" .COM domain in the State of California
then I would think that you would want to keep up with
how the laws of that State apply to you.
Also, since you appear to be operating this commercial
venture as a non-profit operation (ISC?), I would think
that you would also be interested in Federal Tax laws
and how accuracy and coherence are key to making
that system work.
You can bury your head in the sand, but if you do,
I suggest that it be in International waters off the
coast of California, because at this point in time
you are standing on Federal and State soil, and that
makes you, your companies and your servers subject
to the laws of those regions.
If you have some special "dispensation" from the IANA
or the ISOC that makes you immune from Federal
and State laws, please let everyone know.
--
Jim Fleming
UNETY Systems, Inc.
Naperville, IL
e-mail:
JimFleming(a)unety.net
JimFleming(a)unety.net.s0.g0 (EDNS/IPv8)
