RE: New Standard for Whois

Again, The ambiguity is guranteed when you mix XML with whois. 

It is possible to have a XML record to be valid whois query on some lines
while it is data inside a XML record.

It is also possible to have several valid whois queries contains a XML
look-like record across several lines.

It is almost impossible to have either a user or a program to resolve this
kind of ambiguity.

Just think of puting a whois query in a XML record as the valid data will
drive the programmer writing the parser goes crazy.

Ping Lu
Cable & Wireless USA
Network Tools and Analysis Group
W: +1-703-292-2359
E: [email protected]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: George Belotsky [mailto:[email protected]]
> Sent: Friday, January 26, 2001 10:11 AM
> To: Shane Kerr
> Cc: Randy Bush; [email protected]
> Subject: Re: New Standard for Whois
> 
> 
> It is not even necessary to have the new protocol on port 43.
> 
> If it is on port 43, however, the service would not adhere to the old
> standard when the new protocol is being used.
> 
> Hence, the only issue is to detect which protocol is in use, and
> follow the right standard.
> 
> Parsing the first line of an XML document is sufficient to determine
> that XML is being sent.  The entire document does not have to be on
> one line.  If the first line is XML, it is assumed that an XML
> document follows, and the new protocol is used.
> 
> If the first line is not XML, then it is assumed that the old standard
> is in effect.  The server immediately returns the result, and closes
> the connection. 
> 
> George.
> 
> 
> 
> On Fri, Jan 26, 2001 at 03:20:36PM +0100, Shane Kerr wrote:
> > On Tue, 23 Jan 2001, Randy Bush wrote:
> > 
> > > > If the Whois stays on Port 43, backwards compatibility 
> is maintained
> > > > by the following approach.
> > > > 
> > > >     1. Accept a connection.
> > > >     2. Parse the result.  If XML has been received, go 
> to step 4.
> > > >     3. Not XML: as per existing Whois standard, return 
> the result and
> > > >        close the connection.
> > > >     4. XML has been received: must be the new protocol. 
>  Maintain the
> > > >        connection, and use the RRP.  Access will probably be
> > > >        restricted, and it may not be possible to modify objects.
> > > 
> > > what if mirjam and i have an existing application running over
> > > whois/43 that uses xml?
> > 
> > The proposal is to format the Whois *query* as XML.  The only way an
> > existing Whois server can do this and still be RFC 954 
> compliant (now a
> > draft standard for over 15 years!) is by sending the entire 
> XML document
> > as a single line:
> > 
> >       Connect to the SRI-NIC service host at TCP service port 43
> >       (decimal).
> > 
> >       Send a single "command line", ending with <CRLF> (ASCII CR and
> >       LF).
> > 
> >       Receive information in response to the command line.  
> The server
> >       closes its connection as soon as the output is finished.
> > 
> > While possible, does this ever really happen?  I expect not.
> > 
> > Not that this means that I think the proposal is a good idea....
> > 
> > --
> > Shane
> > 
> > 
> 
> -- 
> -----------------------------
> George Belotsky
> Senior Software Architect
> Register.com, inc.
> [email protected]
> 212-798-9127 (phone)
> 212-798-9876 (fax)
>