Modifying 'person:' objects

Colleagues,

as a follow-up of the short discussion we have had last week during RIPE
38 I'd like to continue this discussion in the appropriate forum, the
db-wg mailing list.

What from time to time really annoys me is the fact that you cannot
change a person's name (necessary due to misspellings etc.) that is
already referenced because the person's name together with the NIC
handle is the primary key. You cannot delete and re-enter it either
because it's already referenced. The only way to go is to send an email
to the human db processor ;-) 'ripe-dbm at ripe.net' to get the data
changed manually. I consider this as not very efficient.

During the meeting we were told by Joao and/or Andrej that basically
there is no further need to have person's name _AND_ NIC handle as the
primary key, only the NIC handle would be enough. Anyhow, I wouldn't
like to touch this pragma.

What I would like to propose is a second "pseudo" attribute in addition
to 'delete:' - having no documentation purpose but functionality: the
"I really know what I am doing right at the moment" attribute
('irkwiadratm:' ;-). This second "pseudo" attribute overruns the above
mentioned db pragma and forces a change in a person's name (so 'force:'
migt be better...).

Where I haven't made up my mind yet is the question whether this always
should apply or only in thoses cases when a person object is maintainer
protected. There might be further cases I have not in mind at all at the
moment - so...

Any comments will be appreciated.

Best regards,

	-C.