Re: [idn] host name vs. domain name

[Mark.Andrews@nominum.com]

> 
> Sorry, now I am confused. As far as I can see, from what 2181 implies,
> fruits have no problems with internationalization but some apples may go
> bad. So why are we talking about internationalization of fruit when our
> problem here is that only the apples are rotten?? 

	Why do a complete solution?  Because people want to be able to
	use other languages not just for hostnames.  People keep saying
	that they want other languages in the local part of email
	addresses.  Guess what the DNS need to be extended to support
	this as well and this is a (potentially) different extention to
	that required for hostnames.  At the very least there will be
	a different syntax for what is allowed in the label representing
	the local part of a mail address to those labels that are part of
	the mailname (hostname).

	Yes. DNS records contain email addresses and they are encoded as
	domain names.

	IDNS is not just shove the bits in into the existing DNS.  It's
	also which bits from which character set(s).  It's how much, if
	any, we break existing applications.

> 
> If HTTP, SMTP and other essential protocols use apples, and the
> character restrictions and whatever-else restrictions are only on
> apples, we should call this working group "ihn" instead (or "iapples" if
> you may) and not "idn".

	No. IDN is fine, we just have to remember that we also have to
	write the update to RFC 952 (hostname) as well as everything
	else.

> 
> I agree that there is a distinction between the two and that in order to
> minimize confusion this distinction should be maintained. But I am not
> so sure that it is entirely important for the purposes of what this
> working group seeks to achieve.

	I think it is extremely important that we maintain the distinction
	or you will cripple the DNS if everything in IDNS is a hostname.

	Mark
> 
> Mark.Andrews@nominum.com wrote:
> > 
> > > Rather, I would agree with kent's idea shown below.
> > > As I understand it, we are trying to get rid of the concept of host names
> > > and use domains in telnet, web, etc. eventually.
> > >
> >         Host names are a subset of domain names.  The point I am trying
> >         to make is people on this list are using the two term interchangabl
> y
> >         and they are not.  There are domain names that are not host names
> >         and that is a fact that you cannot change.
> > 
> >         When you are referring to the subset of domain names that refer to
> >         hosts please use the term "hostname" or "host name".  When you are
> >         referring to all domain names then use the term "domainname" or
> >         "domain name".
> > 
> >         To put it a different way.  Apples and oranges are both fruit.
> >         When you want to refer to fruit you use the word fruit.  When
> >         you want to refer to the subset of fruit that are apples you
> >         use the word apples.
> > 
> >         Host names are equivalent in this metaphor to apples.
> >         Domain names are equivalent in this metaphore to fruit.
> > 
> >         We have people on this list say that all fruit should have
> >         red/green skins, white flesh and black/brown seeds.  This
> >         is what happens when you use the wrong terms.
> > 
> >         Mark
> > --
> > Mark Andrews, Nominum Inc. / Internet Software Consortium
> > 1 Seymour St., Dundas Valley, NSW 2117, Australia
> > PHONE: +61 2 9871 4742                 INTERNET: Mark.Andrews@nominum.com
--
Mark Andrews, Nominum Inc. / Internet Software Consortium
1 Seymour St., Dundas Valley, NSW 2117, Australia
PHONE: +61 2 9871 4742                 INTERNET: Mark.Andrews@nominum.com