hi all, i’m responding to Wolf-Ulrich’s request for thoughts on this topic — mostly by starting this thread on our list. i have to admit i’m pretty clueless about this issue so view these comments as the ravings of the Village Idiot, Wolf-Ulrich it seems to me that maybe a way to carve a middle ground is for registry/registrars to provide the *opportunity* for registrants to enter *their own* translated/transliterated information in a non-latin script if they so choose. it seems that might address both the problem of accuracy (which seems really hard if it’s done by machine) and cost (since the burden of data entry and accuracy would remain with the registrant and all the R’s would have to do is provide data-collection and display mechanisms — essentially extending Whois data to cover optional scripts). i think the notion of having the Ry/Rr doing the translating/transliterating is going to be really hard for them to do accurately, and that the cost of that effort would be prohibitive. the question of *requiring* the registrant to enter information into a non-Latin script is interesting/complicated, especially if they’re not familiar with the language/script. it seems this project is dependent on the outcome of the EWG and the subsequent PDP to a certain extent. how can this PDP really make solid recommendations without knowing what the capabilities of the underlying registrant data system will be? it seems as though this effort will be hampered by that. it seems as though this project will also run into “universal acceptance” type problems until the transition from current Whois to The Next Thing is complete — so an aggressive implementation schedule seems complicated see? ravings of an idiot. but maybe that’s enough to get conversation started. does that help, Wolf-Ulrich? mikey PHONE: 651-647-6109, FAX: 866-280-2356, WEB: www.haven2.com, HANDLE: OConnorStP (ID for Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.)