hostname doesn't stick

[jdow]

From: "Tim" <ignored_mailbox at yahoo.com.au>

> 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.

Don't not do that.

> 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.

{^_-}