domain names, ip allocations, and accountability
It's already possible to find a point of contact for most Internet hosts, whether or not a given host is associated with a domain name, and whether or not that domain is in whois. The IP allocation Whois services run by ARIN, RIPE, RIPN, APNIC, etc., provide this service.
No one is proposing to abolish IP allocation Whois services, so we're not talking about a total loss of accountability. IP Whois records are even somewhat trustworthy, since their records arise directly from IP allocation activities, and projects like Complete Whois actively and successfully hunt down hijacked allocations. Compare this with domain registries, most of which will place in Whois whatever information the domain buyer provides, with little or no interest in its authenticity.
That said, the allocations listed on IP Whois servers are often large, and contacting big providers is generally less effective than contacting their smaller server-operating customers directly. So any legitimate domain owner would I'm sure gladly opt-in to domain name Whois, in the interest of hearing about any problems they're causing before their ISP does. This is the very purpose of domain name Whois. Its total loss would be a setback for communications, but not some disaster for accountability.
I'd be happy to see domain name Whois become an opt-in affair, since nobody trusts it (or should) anyway.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
