This page documents some of our interaction with Internet history. In the 1990's, Simon Higgs was one of the leading experts on DNS and the introduction of new top level domains. He invented the role of the stealth server now used to protect the root zone, founded the Shared-TLD Mailing List (which defined the Registry/Registrar relationship), was the first TLD applicant under Draft-Postel. He was also a co-founder and root server operator for the Open Root Server Confederation (ORSC). We have a few firsts (like defining the registry/registrar relationship and being the first applicant for a TLD under Draft Postel) and a few "also rans" (like Internet Drafts to cat herd alternative roots into a unified name space).
IETF
- Shared-TLD Mailing List
In 1996, we hosted the mailing list where the fundamentals of "creating shared domain name registration databases" (i.e. the domain name registry/registrar relationship) were discussed.
IANA
In September 1995, Jon Postel of the IANA invited applications from parties seeking to operate and/or sponsor any new TLD registry. Higgs Communications applications can be found here:
- The IANA's File of iTLD Requests - 5th Dec 1996
Simon Higgs also explained to IANA the business case for the domain name registry/registrar relationship which continues to this day.
ORSC
In 1997, the IANA function was put up for bid by the US Department of Commerce. The Open Root Server Confederation (ORSC) was founded and incorporated to bid on that contract. The IANA function was ultimately awarded, as a sole-source contract, to ICANN. The ORSC continued to support the development that had been done under Draft Postel and we became an official root server operator for ORSC.
ICANN
In June 2000, ICANN invited Expressions of Interest from parties seeking to operate and/or sponsor any new TLD registry. Higgs Communications response can be found here:
- Expression of Interest #5 - 9th July 2000
Internet Draft Archive
The following Internet Drafts were written by Simon Higgs: