Re: Proposed new scheme for resolving the system hostname

[Thomas Hood <jdthood@aglu.demon.nl>]

I agree with pursuing the goal of fixing programs so that they no longer
rely on the UNIX hostname being resolvable as if it were a DNS domain
name.

Given this goal, it is perhaps not worth the effort to implement a
"defaults" NSS module as I described at the beginning of this thread.

We still need to decide should be done to the installer, though.  It
currently puts the UNIX hostname in /etc/hosts either on its own line or
as an alias for 'localhost.localdomain'.  In the long run the UNIX
hostname should not be put in /etc/hosts at all.  Should the installer
be changed so that it no longer puts the UNIX hostname in /etc/hosts?

If people feel that this is going to far for etch then I would suggest
that at least one change be made.  The UNIX hostname should be written
into /etc/hosts always on its own line, never as an alias for
'localhost.localdomain'.  If there is no fixed NIC with a permanent IP
address then the UNIX hostname should be put on a line

   127.0.1.1  <hostname>

That will ensure that if the UNIX hostname _is_ resolved then it will
always be its own canonical hostname
(in the sense of hosts(5)).

Anyone disagree?
-- 
Thomas Hood <jdthood@aglu.demon.nl>