RE: [ietf-provreg] Unique identifiers for Contact

["Hollenbeck, Scott" <shollenbeck@verisign.com>]

> So, just to clarify, the intention is for server-unique 
> identifiers to 
> be constructed by clients guessing repeatedly at strings which they 
> think might be unique, until one is found that doesn't 
> collide with an 
> existing identifier on the server?

Of course not, the contact creation process is just like the process used
for domain and host creation.  There's a <check> command to confirm
existence (and implementations should be lightweight enough to deal with
high volumes of <check> commands), and a <create> command to do the deed
once the existence question has been answered.

Then again, if you believe that the situation with domains and hosts is one
of "guessing repeatedly at strings which they think might be unique, until
one is found that doesn't collide", then the answer to your question is
"yes".  It's not that different than registering a user name on a web forum,
or with an IM service, with an ISP, etc.

-Scott-