DNS primer

[Roland Perry <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>]

In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Roger Hayter 
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes
> > Huh?  DNS servers are operated by random punters,
>
> (snip)
>
> Not entirely random, in that you cannot nominate a (?primary) DNS 
> server for a .com or .net domain without getting someone in a hosting 
> company to vouch for the suitability of the hostname and IP with a 
> domain registrar.

I operate my DNS servers as a random punter. It's true to say that 
there's a Hosting company "in the way" and some will only allow standard 
settings to avoid customer support "issues"; but others give more 
flexibility. At least one of mine is prepared to change *any* of the 
settings while we chat on the phone, and another allows me to alter any 
of the settings that Actually Matter on a day to day basis, via a web 
interface.

Of course, that for just one kind of DNS server. The ones controlled by 
eg Nominet, or the much misunderstood root name servers, are entirely in 
their owners hands.
--
Roland Perry