[registrars] RE: Network Solutions is Front Running!!!

[Ross Rader]

On 9-Jan-08, at 7:45 AM, Nevett, Jonathon wrote:

> We obviously don't think that protecting our customers is unethical.

How does this protect customers? The name is still available for  
registration (albeit only through NSI) and the registry in question  
still knows that someone is interested in the name. This sounds more  
like a rule change for the front-runners and not any real customer  
protection. I'd even go further and venture an opinion that the  
customer is actually disadvantaged because anyone doing a search at  
NSI is now prevented from price-shopping their registration.

It also sounds like a massive denial of service waiting to happen as  
well. It is a trivial exercise to write a script that could take  
millions of names off the market in a few minutes. I understand that  
NSI has put some safeguards in place to mitigate this (IP rate  
limiting, the amount they have on balance with the registries, etc.)  
but I have little faith in NSI's capability to keep up with an earnest  
black-hat.

I'm also concerned about the compliance implications of this action.  
Registrars are required to have some certainty of payment when they  
register a domain name. In this case, NSI isn't even sure of the  
intent of the customer, how can certainty of payment be assumed when  
NSI doesn't even know if the customer wants the domain name?

Ross Rader
Director, Retail Services
t. 416.538.5492
c. 416.828.8783
http://www.domaindirect.com

"To solve the problems of today, we must focus on tomorrow."
- Erik Nupponen