On Sat, 05 May 2018 12:53:53 -0700 "Ronald F. Guilmette" <rfg@tristatelogic.com> wrote:
I don't like to participate in this mailing list anymore, because it is largely if not entirely a waste of time. But I can't help responding to the above.
you are quite correct. there is sometimes "link bait" as it relates to mailing lists :) but the value received from this list depends on the contributor and the contribution. the pov and the perceived goal or perceived value derived. it is an abuse list. and, of course, what happened here is thread hijacking. there are a few types of thread hijacking, the first type is (direct thread hijacking) when the actual thread is used for a new topic, this is accomplished by replying to a post and then editing out the subject line and body, adding all new data to those. the second type (indirect thread hijacking) is what happened here, when a top post responds to a thread with an emotive but completely non related, topic. there are also other types of thread hijacking of some of which involves multiple established mailing list "identities" acting in unison. anyway, this was just a common number 2 (two) Mind you, this may not be or is maybe not thread hijacking, if it was done by Google/ "insert name here" or xyz nation state intelligence or military agents, etc.? just to assist any such and other interested parties, i will shortly re-post my initial post, under its own brand new thread again :) then; some of what some people are saying in this hijacked thread does not consider the technical and other aspects of the issue they seem to have strong opinions about. just to add some science, some facts and stirred in with my own opinions on the hijacked thread:
The rationale put forward here for why "honest citizens" should be able to do some particular thing... in this case hide their WHOIS details... is identical to the rational used, here in my own home country (U.S.A.) by an organization known as the National Rifle Association (NRA) for why "honest citizens" should have no restrictions whatsoever placed on their ability to purchase all manner of firearms.
interesting that you should talk about the NRA here Donald, your statements recently has been somewhat controversial, to say the least. regarding your statements above, it is nothing like that and your reasoning imnsho, is not only flawed but just wrong. a domain name cannot exist in a vacuum. at this point I should probably start with the technical basics: technically, there are at least two things involved. (all things technical could actually and arguably be more than 10 (ten) different things) but let us just do the basic two? *********************** (1) an IP number (2) a domain name ********************** technically [(and by basic or generic SOP) point in case: even IANA cannot operate without (1)] ;) (1) one can exist without (2) but (2) cannot exist without (1) then... the main technical reason why this hijacked thread about WHOIS privacy or WHOIS protection is stupid is: because domain names have little to do with this RR in fact there are other abuse discussion lists, where I am also subscribed (with different email addresses and in different role(s) - see https://www.icann.org etc etc.) the issue of WHOIS protection has been discussed and discussed and discussed in so much depth and from so many different angles - in the correct forums for WHOIS protection, over a few decades (by this I mean: over more than 20 years (and I recall opining about this topic the first time in 1992? or 1993?) my views over the past 30+ years have not changed much: as long as the ip resources are identifiable the domain name privacy matters nothing either way. (so, i do not care) the responses of comparing gun and firearm ownership to owning a domain, in this forum and on a hijacked thread, does serve to illuminate important factors though. either way and irrespective of the opinions of anyone here, this hijacked thread has no real relevance or value to RIPE or to Internet abuse in EU as it relates to nothing relevant here. will repost my initial thread, under a new thread, shortly :) Andre