As pointed out on the DNS lists, it seems that NSI has a real problem with
the customer services people not knowing what they're doing and needs some
serious training. Perhaps that training should include basic reading skills.
"Small minds can only contemplate small ideas".....Unknown
Dean Robb
Owner, PC-EASY
(757) 495-EASY [3279]
On-site computer repair, upgrades and consultations
Read my game reviews/columns in SimOps on WWW.TheGamers.Net
Would it be productive at all to point out that NSI did, in fact, deploy
buggy WhoIs software without testing in the first place...which is why they
are now testing a fix? Naw, probably not. Some people refuse to believe
the wall exists until they run into it, and then they have doubts.
"Small minds can only contemplate small ideas".....Unknown
Dean Robb
Owner, PC-EASY
(757) 495-EASY [3279]
On-site computer repair, upgrades and consultations
Read my game reviews/columns in SimOps on WWW.TheGamers.Net
I find it rather curious that QA procedures were not in place to prevent
the bug from happening in the first place.to paraphrase dijkstra because i am too lazy to look up the reference,
testing can demonstrate the presence of bugs, it can not demonstrate their
absence.
i.e. if they could do what you suggest, there would be very few new bugs in
the world. this would be a truly great advance.
So what's the problem in *testing* your software before putting in general
release? Running the "upgraded" software on a testbed machine before
putting it on-line? Dropping contact information is kinda noticable...it's
not like this is some obscure, only-happens-on-wierd-configurations,
blue-moon bug; this is pretty obvious.
Hell, even *I* test a new part in a computer before closing the case and
pronouncing it fit for use...you'd think NSI could do the same. It's basic
common sense, after all.
I also find it curious that there are no rollback procedures in place to
recover quickly from a bug in generating whois data.good point. a possible explanation is that they changed the back end, and
hence the front end. while one might roll back the front end, the back end
could be much more difficult as
o new updates had flowed in, i.e. can't just roll back, need to convert
the data back, and
o when people write database conversion code, they tend to think of it
as one way, and do not double the cost by writing un-conversion code.
Or maybe testing their code? Or would that have been more expensive than
writing a patch?
in private email, an acquaintance suggested that extensive alpha and beta
testing might have caught it. with a product such as whois this might be
hard. i.e. alpha/beta tests are usually done by shipping product to a
select few. how would one do this with whois? with registration services?
etc.? not saying one could not, just that this is far from trivial or
obvious.
Hmmm...how about using a partial database to test the revision before
deploying it? Say, just a random sampling to make sure everything works
the way it should before you step on your privates in front of a few
million people. That's certainly what I would have done! It's pretty
obvious and yes, even trivial...one machine (or two, if you want to verify
network performance).
randy, who spent 20+ years in software development
And never learned to test before deployment? I learned that in high school
BASIC classes....
"Let there be light!"...and God invented Thomas Edison.
Dean Robb
Owner, PC-EASY
(757) 495-EASY [3279]
On-site computer repair, upgrades and consultations
Lead SimOps columnist/reviewer on http://WWW.TheGamers.Net
Maybe I'm missing something...and I'm NOT a software engineer...but what's
wrong with simply backing up your current system before making changes? It
*should* be getting backed up anyway, but is there some reason that you/NSI
can't back up the database and the DB software and simply restore it if
your changes don't work right?
"Let there be light!"...and God invented Thomas Edison.
Dean Robb
Owner, PC-EASY
(757) 495-EASY [3279]
On-site computer repair, upgrades and consultations
Lead SimOps columnist/reviewer on http://WWW.TheGamers.Net
They were watching Sneakers on DVD on the backup server. You don't expect
them to interrupt the movie for something as mundane as a backup do you?
NANOG Members,
Where can I find additional information about a decent DNS mailing list?