Hi,
Lets discuss, what measures should be taken to circumvent the situation you describe. I can see the problem from two different point of views:
1) Yours. Then we have to close the database down, to a bare documentation-tool for IP-Nets, accessible only by the registries.
Thats not what I said. For example, the DB could only hide specific fields behind a password. For example, the "descr" field which gives away the company name.
2) Mine. I need the database to track technical problems and people who are able to solve them. (hopefully, this view is shared by most of the people here ;))
Including myself. But on the other hand, there is a problem here which, I feel, needs to be addressed. The database structure was implemented in times when the Internet was not so business oriented as it is today. I think that it may need some rethinking to fit the times, so to speak :-)
The security mechanism, which is in place, is not technical, it is just organisational. There is a copyright on the database. The uses, you describe, are forbidden by this copyright.
If someone violates this copyright, at least in Germany there are other measures to forbid such a use of the database.
Well, lucky for you in Germany :-) Seriously, though, there is no way in which you could actually prove, in court, the sort of thing I describe. I am talking from personal experience... *sigh* 10x again, Sincerely, \'"'/ Barak Engel ( o o ) ---------------------ooOO-^-oOOo--------------------------- barak@netvision.net.il Network Expert BE-RIPE BE174 Phone/Fax: +972 48 560600/551132 Cellular: +972 50 469 341 -----------------------------------------------------------