[ppml] Last Call for Comment: Policy Proposal 2003-3

[Ian Baker]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "J Bacher" <jb at jbacher.com>
To: <ppml at arin.net>
Sent: Thursday, November 20, 2003 2:07 PM
Subject: Re: [ppml] Last Call for Comment: Policy Proposal 2003-3


> On Thu, 20 Nov 2003, Ian Baker wrote:
>
> > Hardly. From what you've just said, this provides them an /ideal/ hiding
> > place (as you put it) -
> >
> > "Hello, Mr. Spammer. Do you want us to publish your contact
information?"
> > "No. I'd prefer that Spamhaus (or whoever) didn't find me this time
around.
> > Please force my millions of foreign victims to resort to expensive
> > cross-border legal instruments"
> > "Ah, that'd do nicely, sir - we can even reduce the funding for our AUP
team
> > without anyone being the wiser"
>
> With policy as it stands today, you may have no complete, valid
> information to do much of anything anyway.

Unfortunately so. Although I have no real estimation of what percentage is
junk. I would, however, suspect that the number is considerably lower than
100%.

> Retaining the client name doesn't help you.

I would disagree.

Admittedly, I've only used it a /few/ times to track-down and then block
particular spammers, but even something partially there is better than
nothing at all. Not as good as guaranteed information, sure, (as though
there was any such thing) but better than the equivalent of "somewhere in
AT&T"!

(No slur on AT&T or its users is intended - it's just an example of who
would have to handle all complaints for (e.g.) Comcast in this Brave New
World of minimal WHOIS.

Regards,

Ian Baker
Webmaster, codecutters.org


P.S. As a general comment on the origins of WHOIS, and not directed to any
specific individual(s):

"  This server, together with the corresponding WHOIS Database can also
   deliver online look-up of individuals or their online mailboxes,
   network organizations, DDN nodes and associated hosts, and TAC
   telephone numbers.  The service is designed to be user-friendly and
   the information is delivered in human-readable format.  DCA strongly
   encourages network hosts to provide their users with access to this
   network service.

WHO SHOULD BE IN THE DATABASE

   DCA requests that each individual with a directory on an ARPANET or
   MILNET host, who is capable of passing traffic across the DoD
   Internet, be registered in the NIC WHOIS Database.  MILNET TAC users
   must be registered in the database."

Source: RFC-954