Subject: Network Solutions Inc. wrongly gives away registered domain
Date: Wed, 14 Apr 1999 10:11:26 -0500
From: Mark Gaither <markg@activerse.com>
To: vicepresident@whitehouse.gov

Let me clarify the "WebTechs is now a porn site" story by telling a story
about the InterNIC (aka Network Solutions, Inc.)

WebTechs was the first HTML validation service on the web created
by Dan Connolly [1] and Mark Gaither [2] in 1994. WebTechs obtained the
right to use the webtechs.com domain in 1995. WebTechs operatored a
very useful and free HTML validation service from 1995 until Dec of 1998.

Low and behold, on 18 Mar 1999, the WebTechs domain was sold
by InterNIC to Virtual Domain Buyers from Denmark. Using
the link: function at AltaVista, there were nearly 35,000 links pointing
to the webtechs.com domain. Now those 35,000 links point to a Danish
porn site.

After review of my records, it is clear that the InterNIC has made a
clerical error. I have reviewed my records with my CPA, my closests
friends, and my
attorney. I have called InterNIC on numerous occasions (I have logged this)
and have successfully talked to a person ONCE in three weeks. This person
would not admit that they have made a clerical error. Here's the error:

 InterNIC printed on the paid invoice of 18 Nov 98 that the period covered
 by WebTechs' $35 was for the 97-98 period (which I had already paid
 for the previous year).

InterNIC's claim is that I should have caught the fact that I had paid for
97-98 twice.
Now why would I pay for my domain registration for the previous year. I in
fact have a memo from InterNIC specifically telling me to pay the invoice
number
that I paid. Funny thing is, that my InterNIC whois record was changed in
mid
Dec of 98 to reflect my payment. Oh yeah, I also have a cancelled check for
$35
deposited by InterNIC written for that invoice and the webtechs.com domain.

I requested the human I spoke with at InterNIC to fax me a complete dump of
my database records on file with InterNIC. He said that it would be faxed
within the hour. That was 8 days ago and I have yet to see my fax. I have
tried
repeatedly to get him back on the phone but to no avail.

Therefore, I am movtivated to bring them down. I'm pulling for the free
enterprise system to reduce them to a pile of rubble by strong and compitent
competition.

Lastly, I know that I am not alone. Seems there were 18,000 domain records
flushed from the InterNIC database in March, about the same time my InterNIC
whois record was changed. For more interesting accounts of InterNIC snafus,
please see [3].

Regards,

Mark Gaither
WebTechs - President/CEO
markg@activerse.com

Ref:

[1] - http://www.w3.org/People/Connolly/
[2] - http://www.gaither.com/people/markg/
[3] - North American Network Operators' Group Mailing Archive
  http://www.merit.edu/mail.archives/html/nanog/threads.html#04930