: [ FC2 ] ::.. NON-CRITICAL config question.

[Keven Ring]

>Hi,
>Since you are new to Linux, you might want to run system-config-network and
>select the NIC that is configured with DHCP, configure the hostname
>manually, and save
>
Excellent Advice

> and reboot.
>  
>

<rant>

Why oh Why do we have to suggest to people that rebooting will take care 
of everything.

Folks, just because some major OS must reboot for anything to take 
effect, does not mean that this is true of Unix in general, to include 
Linux.

Why I shutdown/reboot unix boxes:
1) I have a new kernel
2) The kernel crashed (ok, this, admitted doesn't happen)
3) Something locked the machine up (kernel, driver, etc)
4) Power/Hardware Failure
5) I take my laptop home
6) I have to run some other OS

Unix machines are generally *not* SINGLE USER MACHINES (there are 
exceptions, of course!).

IMO, rebooting in most other circumstances (changing network config, 
etc) means that you just don't know how to solve the problem without 
rebooting.  Personally, I would rather find the "correct, intended" way 
to solve the problem, rather than resorting to reboots.  In the "olden 
days", it could take HOURS for a system to reboot.....  It wasn't 
something you did for fun...

In the case of a network configuration change, try the following as root 
(or sudo, if you prefer)
service network stop
service network start

or, if you don't like to type,
service network restart

If you only want to recycle your ethernet hostname,
ifdown eth0
ifup eth0

should work fine.  (You may need to restart X, but that is for entirely 
different reasons).


If you get into the mentality of rebooting like other OS's, then you 
might as well reboot whenever you install/update something via 
apt/yum/rpm, or when you compile something, etc.

Perhaps a new menu item in Linux, similar to that in Wine/Crossover 
Office: Simulate Reboot

</rant>

-- 
Keven Ring               | "Oh no,  Not Again..."
The MITRE Corporation    |   Bowl of Petunias -
7515 Colshire Drive      |   The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
McLean VA 22102-7508     |
PH: (703)883-7026        |