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PA2AGA > TCPDIG 24.11.96 02:51l 133 Lines 6498 Bytes #-10812 (0) @ EU
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Date: Sat, 23 Nov 96 11:13:41 MET
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Subject: TCP-Group Digest 96/246B
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database treaty on the GII.
(1) The effects of the database treaty on the routing infrastructure
At the lowest level, the computers forming the Internet,
communicate through the exchange of packets of information. These
packets pass from one system to the next until they reach their
destination. Typically a packet needs to pass through around 20
different systems before it reaches its final destination.
Analogous to the postal system, each packet has an address printed
on it that identifies the final destination. These addresses are
effectively 9-digit numbers, and are known as IP addresses.
Unlike the postal system these addresses are not defined
geographically. Instead, a particular IP address might be located
anywhere in the world. Intermediate systems are aware of the
topology of the Internet, and know where the computer with a
particular IP address is located. Each intermediate system knows
who to forward a packet to next to ensure it reaches its final
destination.
Intermediate systems know where each IP address is located through
the exchange of what is termed routing information. The systems
exchange information identifying where each IP address is located.
Computers send messages to connected systems to saying: "I am
here", and the connected systems then collect up and send on this
information to other systems on the Internet. This information is
sent in the form of routing tables listing a set of IP addresses,
and for each IP address listing its current location.
These routing tables fall under the domain of the proposed
database treaty. As such, a network provider would be able to
claim ownership of the routing table constructed from the routing
information provided by its subscribers. Doing this would allow
the network provider to prevent, or control the way in which
others can make use of such routing information. Apart from the
network provider, there is no other practical method of obtaining
this routing information. Such routing information is essential
for network connectivity, and, as such, could be used as a price
lever by large network connectivity providers (PSI, UUNet, MCI,
Sprint) to force smaller providers out of the marketplace. An
example end-user license for the use of such routing tables might,
for instance, prohibit the exchange of the information contained
in the routing table with anyone other than a customer of one of
the large network providers.
(2) Effects of the database treaty on the domain name system
Users on the Internet aren't required to know the IP address of
the hosts to whom they are talking. Instead, they refer to
computers through textual names, such as "www.uspto.gov". The
Domain Name System is the component of the Internet responsible
for translating these textual host names into IP addresses to
which packets can then be sent.
The domain name system is administered by Network Solutions
Incorporated under a time limited contract with the NSF. Parties
contact Network Solutions telling them the names of new machines,
and Network Solutions publishes a database on the Internet that in
effect contains the IP address of each machine.
The domain name system meets the definition of a database given as
specified by the treaty. No practical way exists to obtain the
information contained in this database other than either directly
or indirectly through the data supplied by Network Solutions.
Since it was drafted prior to the treaty, it isn't clear from the
Network Solutions's contract with the NSF, whether Network
Solutions would be able to claim ownership of the DNS database, or
if the database belongs to the NSF. It seems plausible that
Network Solutions would be able to claim ownership. We are
however unable to make this claim with certainty.
The ability to claim ownership of databases such as the DNS
database could have a potentially severe chilling effect on the
Internet. Network Solutions position as sole provider of the DNS
database would enable them to charge a high price for access to
it. This information contained in this database is fundamental to
a user's ability to navigate around the Internet, and essentially
Network Solutions would end up owning the Internet.
It seems vital to us that in evaluating the effects of this
treaty, possible serious real world ramifications such as this
must be very carefully analyzed and understood.
(3) Effects of the database treaty on Internet search services
There are a number of Internet search services which users use to
find information on the Internet. Examples of popular search
services today include Alta Vista, Excite, Infoseek, and Verity.
Information on the Internet is contained in individually owned and
managed repositories called web sites. Each web site contains
numerous documents.
The search services work by visting each web site on the Internet,
retrieving the site's contents, and from the contents constructing
an index of the information contained on the web site. To perform
a search, a user types in a few key words. The search service is
then able to use its indices to return to the user a list of all
web sites containing the specified words. The search services do
not return the contents of the indexed web sites, but merely tell
the user the names of the relevant web sites.
The generation of an index for a web site currently does not fall
under the scope of the Copyright Act. Under the proposed database
treaty, each website on the Internet fully meets the definition of
To be continued in digest: tcp_96_246C
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