Bug#174360: DNS configuration section is inflexible
severity 174360 wishlist
retitle 174360 Hostname setup should be more self-explainable
thanks
#include <hallo.h>
Zefram wrote on Thu Dec 26, 2002 um 01:32:40PM:
> When asking for a hostname, dbootstrap rejects any hostname containing
> dots; it demands an unqualified name. This contradicts the reasonably
RTFM.
> popular practice of making the hostname an FQDN, as promoted by Paul Vixie
> in BIND documentation. Obviously this doesn't make much difference to
Hostname is a part of FQDN.
> the network install process, but it annoyingly forces the administrator
> to modify this part of the configuration once the system is installed
> and running.
Nonsense.
> The next configuration dialogue asks for "the domain name" of the network.
> This is a rather confused request. This information is actually used in
I guess you have read lots of braindead documentation if it confuses you. FQDN
consists of <hostname>.<domain-name>.
> Secondly, the mention of "the network" seems to refer back to the IPv4
> network-layer configuration that immediately precedes the DNS-related
> configuration dialogues. That might be accidental, a case of poor
> proofreading, but I don't see what else could be being referred to by the
> words "the network". The domain part of the host FQDN, and the default
> domain for unqualified names, needn't identify anything really meaningful,
> such as a piece of network-layer topology or an administrative grouping.
> All it can be said to identify is a group of related *names*, which I
> wouldn't refer to as a "network".
Now, either you read the manual or you ask your administrator to setup DHCP
for you.
> As a solution, I propose that the DNS configuration should ask the
> following questions (with more explanation for those that don't know
> the terminology):
This is not the DNS configuration. It is a common hostname of the system and
has primarily nothing to do with DNS.
> 2. [If hostname given was unqualified.] What is the domain name
It has to be. If you do not want an FQDN, leave it empty. Or chose the
"Configure hostname" step which does not setup FQDN etc.
> that should be attached to the hostname to make the host's FQDN?
> [Default blank, which should be permitted. If non-blank, this
> domain name is used to create an FQDN alias in /etc/hosts.]
We could create a message before the question comes, telling about the FQDN
scheme. Some people seem to be realy confused about it.
> 3. What domains should be searched to look up unqualified hostnames?
No, this is something not used by most users. "Power-users" can setup it
manually. Remember, this is the INSTALLER. It configures the essential things.
Keep it simple.
And, finaly, please provide patches if you need some functionality. Talking
and requesting features wont help us.
Gruss/Regards,
Eduard.
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