[DBWG] Removing short handles in WHOIS objects

[Job Snijders]

On Fri, Aug 16, 2019 at 03:57:31PM +0400, Michel ODOU wrote:

> As you may know, the WHOIS allows object attributes in a short form,

> though this is not clearly documented.

> 

> For example,

> 

> person:     John Doe

> address:    Mauritius

> phone:      tel:+230-403-5100

> e-mail:     john.doe at afrinic.net

> nic-hdl:    JOHNDOE

> changed:    john.doe at afrinic.net 20190816

> source:    AFRINIC

> 

> and

> 

> pn:    John Doe

> ad:    Mauritius

> ph:    tel:+230-403-5100

> em:    john.doe at afrinic.net

> nh:    JOHNDOE

> ch:    john.doe at afrinic.net 20190816

> so:    AFRINIC

> 

> are the same object.

> 

> However, as said above, this is not documented and we did not find any

> object using these short form attribute names.  We would like to

> remove this feature for the following reasons:

> 

>  1. It is not used.

>  2. Short form attribute names are difficult to read.

>  3. They can break parsers/scripts that expect long form attribute names.

> 

> I you have any objection, please let us know.


I support removal of the short attribute names feature. I don't see it
offering any value, it certainly is not a common practise in our
industry.

Kind regards,

Job