Which nameservers am I using?

[Michael Hipp]

David Bandel wrote:
> The resolver libraries are written in such a way that you either get
> an answer (in which case they stop trying) or you don't (in which case
> they continue on to the next nameserver).  The libraries can't (and
> shouldn't) be written to second-guess an answer they receive (but
> you're welcome to take a crack at rewriting them to do so -- I just
> won't use them).

I suppose what you're trying to tell me is that this behavior is 
specified in the RFC. Fair enough but see below.

> Your question should probably be:  Why did the nameserver respond at
> all if it wasn't going to do the job?  Well, perhaps because if you're
> not on their network, they don't want you trying to use their server. 
> It is theirs after all.  Their server, their rules.

No, the question I'm asking is: If the nameserver didn't give me a 
usable answer, why didn't my client try the next one. Their ability to 
control their own server has not been questioned. Their ability to 
control my client is what I'm questioning.

If this is RFC-compliant behavior, perhaps somewhere there is some 
reason for it. But it seems odd that my machine would allow some far 
distant (possibly misconfigured) server to prevent me from working. 
Seems to partially defeat the purpose of listing multiple nameservers.

Thanks for the answers,
Michael