[db-wg] Suggestions to improve the IRT object

Hi,

The -c flag which is going to be implemented soon for any standard IP 
query to the RIPE whois is a good thing. But since most IRT objects 
returned don't have an abuse-mailbox field, the result is pretty 
useless (no e-mail will be returned). Developers will keep using -B 
in their tools so that they can send their abuse reports somewhere...


Facts
=====

The e-mail field of an IRT object is hidden until you use the -B flag.
Most IRT objects have been created without an abuse-mailbox field.
For the IRT object, the e-mail field is mandatory, but the 
abuse-mailbox is optional.
The e-mail field of an IRT object is by definition an abuse-mailbox.


Proposal
========

One of the easiest way to make the -c flag really useful without -B 
is to have all IRT objects return an abuse-mailbox.
Thus, the abuse-mailbox field should be mandatory and for all IRT 
objects which don't have one, the e-mail field should be copied to it.
(To be logical, the e-mail attribute should be set to optional.)


More Thoughts
=============
Another issue is to deploy the IRT object (or even the 
abuse-mailbox...) on a huge number of inetnum's.
If we wait for people to modify all their inetnum objects so that 
they have an abuse-mailbox or irt-mnt attribute, it will take ages.
A standard IP query to the RIPE whois now gives one "origin" 
attribute (or more).
Maybe the mnt-irt of that aut-num could be displayed in the default output...
A company not owning the AS announcing their prefix, and willing to 
use its own IRT object (or abuse-mailbox) could use the mnt-irt in 
their inetnum('s) to specify a "more specific" one.


RFD
===
What do people think about these 2 ideas ?


Sincerely,
Philippe Bourcier