Piet and others,
True, but that would only make the problem worse: then you could have e.g. 10 Person objects which are each unique in their own [source] context but which actually refer to one and the same person. In such a case I'd still prefer to have a specific tag (like a handle) assigned centrally by RIPE even when the source of the object is not RIPE.
I agree with your point of view, that we should thrive to have only _very_ few instances that assign handles! Everything else is calling for trouble.
The problem of delay in registrations by "regional" registries could perhaps be overcome by an automated "handle assignment" service by RIPE, where a handle could be obtained interactively by authorised persons.
Given the turnaround-time with the new DB-software, I really don't see where there is potential for delay in registering objects? But maybe we could (on paper) relax the rules a bit to officially allow the registration of person objects that are not (yet) referenced by other objects. The software never prohibited this, as much as I know. Maybe this is the time to think about combining the idea of an interactive handle generator and an interactive (eg. prompt-mode) (person-)object registration script, offered on a special telnet port at the NCC? Wilfried. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wilfried Woeber : Wilfried.Woeber@CC.UniVie.ac.at (Internet) Computer Center - ACOnet : Z00WWR01@AWIUNI11.BITNET (EARN) Vienna University : 29133::WOEBER (SPAN/HEPnet) Universitaetsstrasse 7 : Tel: +43 1 4065822 355 A-1010 Vienna, Austria, Europe : Fax: +43 1 4065822 170 NIC: WW144 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------