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From: mark@cbosgd.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.mail.headers,comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: fidonet <-> usenet
Message-ID: <3534@cbosgd.ATT.COM>
Date: Thu, 16-Apr-87 09:59:17 EST
Article-I.D.: cbosgd.3534
Posted: Thu Apr 16 09:59:17 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 19-Apr-87 01:49:57 EST
References: <149@4gl.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Medical Information Systems, Columbus
Lines: 40
Keywords: fido
Xref: utgpu comp.mail.headers:175 comp.sys.ibm.pc:3003
Summary: FIDO has restrictions on where it can fit into the domain space.

You can't just create a top level domain name like .FIDO, or even a
2nd level domain name like .FIDO.NET.  You have to get the registrar
of the parent domain to agree to it.  You'll never get the NIC to create
a top level FIDO domain, and they own the root.  They also own NET and
ORG, but their position on these is less clear.  The NIC is strongly
opposed to physical network based domains like user@host.UUCP and
user@host.ARPA.  Since user@host.FIDO.NET is just a subterfuge to
get the same effect, I suspect they won't allow it either.  Certainly
you don't see CSNET members with addresses like Ohio-State.CS.NET;
the CS.NET domain is there for the use of CSNET owned machines, not
CSNET members.

FIDO.ORG is a concept that might fly, after all, FIDO is an organization
and all the proposed subdomains are members of the organization.  Also,
UUCP is putting hobbyists who want domains in 3rd level domains under ORG
(the typical hobbyist pays only $20/year for the domain when they go through
a "hobby park", which is typically a local UNIX User's group - interested
organizations should contact the UUCP Project at cbosgd!stargate!uucp-query,
interested hobbyists should go through your local group or form one.)

FIDO is really a separate large network, and as such many of their members
are likely to also belong to some other network, either today or eventually,
and to conduct business on their net.  The danger of using FIDO.ORG is that
any member who joins another network (or wants a commercial address under
.COM somewhere to appear professional to business clients) may find themselves
not wanting to be under FIDO.ORG.  If the transport mechanism (FIDO) and
the domain (FIDO.ORG) are so closely married in all the implementations,
this may be difficult to solve.  It's a gotcha lurking down the road, and
I urge FIDO to consider it carefully.

Others have pointed out that the domain used must be registered or it doesn't
count, and that the RFC's forbid domains beginning with digits.  (This last
restriction came as a surprise to me - we've already registered 3Com.COM
and they're working fine, then someone pointed out the RFC.  It's currently
under investigation, and it might turn out that leading digits are OK.)
In any case, one obvious solution is to stick a standard letter in front:
310/100 becomes f100.f310.fido.org, for example (I hope I have this right.)

	Mark Horton
	Managing Director, the UUCP Project