Re: matching versus searching

[Jim Dixon <jdd@matthew.uk1.vbc.net>]

[moved to gtld-discuss because domain-policy seems to be shut down
 for the moment]

On Tue, 2 Sep 1997, Dave Crocker / IMC wrote:

> >> 	If it's in the whois data base, then it will be in the gTLD whois data
> >> base...
> >
> >That is precisely my point.
> 
> 	Alas, I seem to continue to miss it.  Sorry.  Please clarify.

The idea is to build a simple directory system that sits above the 
DNS system.  To the user it looks like this:  if you are uncertain of
the domain name, you put a question mark before your best guess (plus
optional hints) of what the domain name might be.  The system returns
a list of possible matches with enough additional data to help the 
user to select one.

This could be done with the information now in the DNS and whois 
databases, or the whois information could be extended to some degree.
 
> 	The best I can guess is that you want to turn the whois database into the
> core of the DNS database, i.e., to have its additional information be used
> as part of the lookup criteria?

Well, yes, the whois information could be used in lookup but, no, it
wouldn't necessarily be moved into the DNS database.

The DNS system is structured for fast retrieval of frequently accessed
domain names, where name is supplied either as a fully qualified 
domain name (www.uk0.vbc.net) or an abbreviation (www).

What we are talking about is a simple directory system that provides
indexes into the domain name database.  It doesn't appear to me to
be easily distributed.  I would expect it would be run over a middling
number of servers, perhaps one at every larger ISP.

> >> 	The differences between simple mapping, versus fuzzy search, are massive
> >> and they occur at lookup time.  Hence, your proposal adds very considerable
> >> complexity to a piece of well-established infrastructure technology.
> >
> >No, it doesn't.  It's one layer up.  It leaves the existing DNS 
> >unchanged.
> 
> 	We do?  Well I continue to be more and more confused about the proposal.
> From the previous messages, it sounded as if client software could contain
> name queries, like today, except they could be fuzzier and the server would
> try to match things up. 

Yes.  The client would look at the input string.  No leading question 
mark?  Go to a name server for an answer.  Leading question mark?  Go
to a directory server for a set of possible matches.
 
>                         If you are proposing adding a NEW layer without
> touching the old DNS, then we are back to your proposal as being
> yet-another directory service.  Laudable goal but directories have a lousy
> track record.

Because they are too ambitious.
 
> 	The best I can figure is that you mean no technical change to the DNS, but
> users re-target their queries to a layer above.  That is operationally the
> same as changing the DNS, since all user queries go the new layer.  If not,
> then how does the client software know which layer to query.

That question mark ;-)

--
Jim Dixon                                                 Managing Director
VBCnet GB Ltd                http://www.vbc.net        tel +44 117 929 1316

Member of Council                                         UK Representative
Internet Services Providers Association                            EuroISPA
http://www.ispa.org.uk                              http://www.euroispa.org
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