i could not even get into the room. the minutes say whois users RIRs, routing registries, domain registries, registrars #1 and #2 are close #3 is a bit different actually, the whois port/protocol is used by all sorts of strange and arcane uses by all sorts of folk. imiho, we do not have the prerogative to break their uses by a change to the base whois/43 protocol. this is not to say that some group of applications of the whois protocol could not agree to use it in a common way, essentially forming an overlay protocol. randy