ACSP Suggestion 2013.2: Enable Use of Extended Characters in Records

Suggestion

Author: Thomas St.Pierre   
Submitted On: 14 February 2013

Description:

I think we should be able to use characters beyond the basic characters.

Currently for example in the Customer name field, only a-z A-Z 0-9 @ ( ) ' # / & , . - + \* ! and space are allowed.

I think we should be able to put other characters such as accents etc that are found in languages other then English. I think it is sad that in 2013 such restrictions exist. Even the most basic web app coded in 30 minutes can usually handle them.

Thanks!

Timeframe: Immediate

Status: On hold   Updated: 26 February 2013

Tracking Information

ARIN Comment

26 February 2013

Internationalization is straightforward on the registration side. Unfortunately, internationalization requires special handling on search/retrieval side (directory services). Further, UTF-8 gets complicated when we have legacy directory services that rely on ascii (like the WHOIS protocol). There is an effort underway within the WEIRDS working group of the IETF that is focused on replacing WHOIS with a new protocol with features like internationalization. ARIN, as one of the technology leaders within the WEIRDS WG, will readdress internationalization once IETF has a reasonable standard underway.

This suggestion will remain open, but please note that it might be quite some time before there is something definitive coming out of the WEIRDS working group.

Notes: This suggestion is dependent on IETF’s standardization of I8N within the WEIRDS WG and some specification that allows for backwards compatibility (if required for Whois).