Domain Name NASA.COM

Sat Jul 12 12:59:36 UTC 1997

> RFC_Violation: You saw it here first!
> From: jamie at intuition.iagnet.net (Jamie Rishaw)
> I've been a longstanding cheerleader for the NIC, but
>
That was your first mistake.  Although what can one expect from someone
who brags about violating RFCs?

> Today, without notice, the InterNIC turned "off" the domain name NASA.COM,
> a domain which had been registered now for over two years.
>
May I suggest that your customer sue, not the FTC or NASA, but the
Internic for violation of the contract.  You paid a fee, they are
required to follow their own procedures.  You should be able to get
quite a bit for actual and punitive damages.

And you would be doing all the rest of us a service, by setting a
precedent.  We really cannot have Internic becoming an extension of the
US government, or making arbitrary actions.  But enforcement of
contracts generally requires a court.

As far as I can see, you wouldn't even have to prove that NASA.COM was
"in a manner reasonably calculated to convey the impression".  That
would be up to NASA and/or FTC, should Internic get them to come to the
court (third party cross complaint, perhaps).

Although, for curiousities sake, what did this NASA stand for, and what
was their product?

WSimpson at UMich.edu
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BSimpson at MorningStar.com
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