[dns-operations] blockchain DNS

[Stephane Bortzmeyer]

On Fri, Jan 26, 2018 at 09:54:31AM -0500,
 Mark Jeftovic <markjr at easydns.com> wrote 
 a message of 89 lines which said:

> But I've long wondered if there is a hybrid option where we have a
> blockchain where one can pin DNS RR's can act as a kind of
> "lookaside" for mission critical domains - but that would
> necessitate resolvers being aware of it.

And there is the interesting question of what to do if there is a
discrepancy: which one is correct?

> There was Namecoin, as P.O.C but was more about being a fully
> decentralized TLD without governance but as I've often remarked to
> these crypto types "believe it or not, you actually *want* some kind
> of governance".

Indeed, the good thing about Namecoin is that you cannot take down a
domain and the bad thing about Namecoin is that you cannot take down a
domain... (I forgot to renew my Namecoin name, lost it to a "domainer"
without any possible recourse; in the end, he stopped renewing and I
registered it again. You can get the history at
<https://namecha.in/name/d/bortzmeyer>, the BitMessage address is
commonly used by domainers to be anonymously contacted to give them
money.)

Also, currently, most of blockchains rely *only* on the security of
your private key. Lose it, you cannot change your domain. Have it
stolen, someone else controls your domain. Because Mr Smith is clearly
bad at key management, this requires some technical and/or social
solutions if we want blockchain-based naming systems to be used by
normal people.

> The .XYZ registry is working with ENS WG to integrate .xyz domains
> into ENS so that example.xyz can be used as an ethereum contract or
> wallet address. See:
> 
> https://medium.com/the-ethereum-name-service/how-to-claim-your-dns-domain-on-ens-e600ef2d92ca

Hmmm, this paper does not mention any involvment of the .XYZ registry
(and there is nothing about it on the nic.xyz Web site). Their
solution can work with any signed TLD.