Subject: Databases

From: Adam Theo <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 18 Jul 2000 13:47:39 -0400

Hello, Adam Theo here

okay, to begin my questions, i'll begin with making sure i understand
this technology.

okay, i've just read through the documents on CNRP at the ietf's WG website.
and if i understand them correctly, this technology (common names) is
designed to allow a large number of independent organizations to run
their own common names databases, correct? as opposed to a single, massive
database for a single language of common names held and owned by a central
organization which allows other organizations access to it. ISPs and
Internet Portals such as Yahoo!, Lycos, Earthlink, RealNames, and MSN
can run their own CN databases, seperate from each other. so Yahoo! can
have the CN of 'People Search' point to their own white pages directory,
while Earthlink may put their own CN of 'People Search' up for sale or
aution, for anyone to buy and have point to their own website (like how
domain names are done today).

if this question seems a bit unclear, let me ask it this way. imagine
CN's as domain names. does the CN namespace act as a few Top Level Domains
based on, for example, language (ex: .en, .fr, .ru, .zh, etc.), that
a central body holds onto and allows third-party bodies to access, modify,
and resell like NSI now has to do with .com, .net, and .org to the now
plethora of new registrars out there, or...

does the CN namespace work having these third-party bodies run their
very own TLD's, such as .yahoo, .earthlink, .msn, or .real, and each
of them does as they wish with their TLD's?

from reading the documents, i'm pretty sure it's the second one, but
i want to make absolutely sure before i continue.

thank you all for your help so far.  :)

--
Adam Theo
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From: Leslie Daigle <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 18 Jul 2000 14:43:58 -0400

Howdy again,

Not sure I entirely understand how you're conceptualizing this,
but it is the intention that any organization can operate a Common Name
service offering any range of common name strings, associated with
whatever data they like.

So, I think the answer is "yes, it's like your second case", although
perhaps even more general.

Leslie.

--

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"My body obeys Aristotelian laws of physics."
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Leslie Daigle
[email-masked]
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