Kevin Loch wrote:
Actually they are not just subdomains of new.net. What it looks like is an attempt to make the UltraDNS network the new root.
udns1.ultradns.net returns an A record for pie.shop just like udns1.newdotnet.net.
I suspect that all UltraDNS servers return queries for these alternate TLD's.
The more I look at this the more it looks like an good old fasioned root hijack. The difference this time is they already have the network of servers, and they already have some ISPs lined up.
Hijacking rhetoric aside ... and instead of getting into a discussion of the individual points this thread has raised over the course of the last two days, I can make a clear statement that answers most of them: *UltraDNS has no intention of running an alternative root.* And we are *not* currently doing so. New.Net is a customer of the UltraDNS Managed Service and may use the UltraDNS directory application to manage any domain it wishes. As with any name service, New.Net may populate authoritative servers with arbitrary TLDs. As long as the root (".") does not resolve the TLDs, other Internet users are not affected. It's also worth mentioning here, in reference to the subject of "cache poisoning" that the UltraDNS servers are *not* recursive. UltraDNS understands that New.Net is providing a private namespace for those service providers who choose to offer it to their customers. While this namespace is implemented using Internet standard protocols, it is otherwise much the same as other private naming conventions that are offered in a similar manner, e.g. AOL Keywords or RealNames(tm). If I'm not mistaken, I believe that NSI/Verisign are significant investors in RealNames(tm). And I think Idealabs! was an early round investor in RealNames(tm) as well. Small world. Vint Cerf himself described what New.Net are doing as "a cute trick". :-) Hopefully this makes clear any misconceptions that have arisen from any press releases, articles, websites, posts here and in other newsgroups, etc. regarding UltraDNS's involvement in this initiative. If you're still intent on chasing this down, instead of interpreting (or mis-interpreting) feel free to contact the CEO of UltraDNS, Steve Kalman (president@ultradns.com). He *will* engage in discussion, and even provide answers. -- Rodney Joffe CenterGate Research Group, LLC. http://www.centergate.com "Technology so advanced, even we don't understand it!"(R)