@Save Breach -- I am essentially "back-end" crew for OpenNIC, meaning that I have written the majority of the back end code that nobody ever sees, but it makes the whole project tick and ties things together. I was one of the early proponents for revamping OpenNIC in such a way that there were no single points of failure such as having any one server handle the DNS entries for domains or TLDs. I would say that you haven't seen my work, except I also wrote a number of the web-based tools including the registrar at be.libre. It is probably obvious that I'm not that great at graphical design, but our project is based on the work of volunteers and there hasn't been a movement towards tying everything together into a single cohesive platform.
As
@Paul Buonopane pointed out, there is no way to ensure that logs are kept strictly private. All of our DNS servers are provided by project members who have similar interests, and it's all based on trust. If we were a business then we would simply buy hosting in multiple countries and set up DNS servers controlled by the company. The caveat here is that any business will retain the log files for troubleshooting, but could also turn that information into a revenue stream. With OpenNIC, nobody really cares about selling your data, but we do care about privacy from an individual standpoint.
And yeah, DNS is only involved in looking up the initial connection. Once your data stream begins you are well beyond the DNS servers. Thing of DNS like a phone book -- You look up someone's name and get their phone number. Once you have that number, the phone book is no longer involved in your call.
@Big Mac -- It's really interesting how much the internet has changed over the years. Back in the 90's when we were all on dial-up or even DSL, there was a time when signing up with an ISP meant getting a packet of information including instructions on setting your DNS entries to those of the ISP, so it was very commonplace. These days everything is automated and nobody knows how to make changes for themselves.
Regarding getting your own TLD, we (OpenNIC) do actually have a process for that which includes presenting a case to the membership as to why a new TLD would be of benefit. Generally we also require that the person or group requesting the TLD can show the technical knowledge to operate and maintain it but there have been a couple cases where there was a lot of interest in the presented idea and one of our existing operators took charge of operations. Sure we could have an unlimited number of TLDs available, but the reality is that a lot of people show up with a great idea and then are gone forever in a week or two, so we have guidelines to keep from cluttering up our own namespace with unused DNS zones.
Yes, it would be great if alt-roots could someone be a part of the general internet, but unfortunately DNS was designed so that there can be only a single root zone. For most people using their computer defaults, that root zone is provided by ICANN. It ensures a monopoly, and that ensures that domain names have a monetary value. There are alternatives like bitcoin which provide a stateless DNS. This means there is no single controlling entity and anyone who takes the time can create their own domains for free. The problem with this method is that there is no verified person behind a domain name, so you can't hold anyone responsible if that domain is used for nefarious purposes. We're at an interesting point in the history of the internet because everyone wants their privacy and anonyminity to speak freely, but total privacy means there is no accountability or responsibility, and that leads to anarchy. Hopefully some day soon we will find a respectable balance between the extremes.
Sorry if that got too technical, I try to keep it light while still getting my point across, but I frequently fail.
