NSI Blues

["Randall O. Steward" <RSteward@personalcomputer.net>]

I'm sorry you've been having trouble with NSI, but I feel better knowing
I'm not the only one. I was doing Internet long before the Web came
along, and I'm simply appalled at what "free enterprise" has done to
this once usable network.

My domains disappeared from their database for two weeks. I sent E-Mails
and phoned them on an "emergency" basis, which generated no response. To
get listed again, I submitted 18 update orders for each of my domains
through their Web site, which I suppose eventually worked (after another
week). I never got an explanation, of course.

What's worse, however, is the rapidly declining level of service at NSI.
Calls to their main number never get a live person, which instead
directs the caller to their hokey little Web site. The Web interface
only says "taken" or "available" and gives no other info. There seems to
be no way to get information about registered domains, even my own
sometimes. When they do answer E-Mail to their Help address, the
responses never address the question asked - they just send a
boilerplate response directing me to their Web site. Arrrgh!

NSI has also discontinued Telnet at rs.internic.net so that I'm unable
to get any information about registered domains. I have always relied on
Telnet, as it displays the information I need as a consultant - like
name server addresses. Now, when my customers have DNS problems, there
is no way to see what's going on or help them, and I feel stupid telling
big corporations that they'll just have to figure it out on their own.
NSI is costing me money, not helping me!

I don't know if ICANN will be able to whip NSI into shape, but I'd be
real interested in moving my domain name business to a better registrar,
if that's possible. I've completely had it with NSI. They have done
everything wrong and deserve to totally lose their place in this game.
Ah, to be a care-free monopoly.

Good day, all!