Dean; > > > > > > You say "names". But, is it "whois names" or "domain names"? > > > > > > > > > > I mean "people useful" names. Whois is a protocol for accessing the > > > > > registration of names. DNS is a a protocol for distributing Records > > > > > > > > Wrong. > > > > > > > > Whois protocol is a protocol for accessing the registration of > > > > names, not specifically domain names. > > > > > > > > DNS, domain name system, is not a protocol but the system to manage > > > > domain names. > > > > > > I've never heard of such a system. > > > > DNS is an acronym of Domain Name System. > > This acronym, used in RFC 1034 and elsewere refers to a protocol. As is clearly stated in the second paragraph of rfc1034, A subset of DNS functions and data types constitute an official protocol. DNS system includes DNS protocol but is not DNS protocol. > RFC 1034 > and subsequent RFCs describe the protocol. Yes, rfc1034 does describe the protocol and other things. So what? > You seem to think that > Verisign operations are restricted by this protocol. No. DNS is a system, not a protocol. Verisign operations directly related to the protocol, is, of course, restricted by the protocol, though, which is irrelevent. > The fact still remains that DNS entries do not necessarilly imply > registration, and that the DNS protocol cannot be used to make registry > queries. Domain registry is a part of DNS system and is of no importance as long as proper names are returned for DNS queries. Masataka Ohta