Philip, Apology in advance if this seems to be removed from context, but your statement (below) seems to have been made generally and is not self consistent. Perhaps you could clarify it somewhat? --- [ SNIP ] --- --> --> Sure the IETF can pursuade IANA not to register a code point. But if --> that happens it only makes things worse. There is nothing that can be --> done to prevent unregistered use and no real disadvantage to doing so as --> as nobody will want to accept an official registration polluted by prior --> use. --> --- [ SNIP ] --- Generally, the existence of an assignment authority does encourage its (proper) use - mostly for the reason you state above. Just as "nobody will want to accept an official registration polluted by prior use", "nobody" (deliberately in quotes) will want to attempt to establish an unofficial registration using the approach you've described. Doing so is - at the very least - going to adversely affect popularity and is very likely to result in interference and potentially even litigation. Of course the assignment authority has to be credibly recognized as the sole assignment authority for this to be true. IANA is certainly such an authority. -- EG _______________________________________________ Ietf@xxxxxxxx https://www1.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/ietf