hostname doesn't stick

[Tim]

On Sat, 2006-09-16 at 14:41 -0700, jdow wrote:
> NEVER change localhost as a name.

I am feeling motivated to bugzilla that the useless "do not change the
first line" warning, that doesn't give no example, ought to be changed.

This:

# Do not remove the following line, or various programs
# that require network functionality will fail.

Which may well appear above an already modified first line, is utterly
useless to those unfamiliar with the hosts file.  It could be better
written as:

# The first uncommented line of the hosts file should be precisely
# like this:  127.0.0.1  localhost.localdomain localhost

It would also be a good idea that even for standalone PCs (those not on
a LAN), that *another* non-127.0.0.1 line should be added for its own
hostname, by whatever automatic process usually stuffs up the local
loopback address line.  It could be another 127. subnet address, or one
of the various private IP scheme addresses.

Though I've no idea against which packages to make such bugzilla
entries.  Also, I tend to err against caution and have a few more people
vet that idea before bugzillaing it.

-- 
(Currently running FC4, occasionally trying FC5.)

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