Bug 53188

Summary:	Install Guide contains bad information regarding /etc/hosts
Product:	[OLD] Docs-user	Reporter:	aethyr <aethyr7>
Component:	Gentoo Linux x86 Installation Guide	Assignee:	Docs Team <docs-team>
Status:	RESOLVED WORKSFORME
Severity:	normal
Priority:	High
Version:	unspecified
Hardware:	All
OS:	Linux
URL:	http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/handbook/handbook-x86.xml?part=1&chap=8
Whiteboard:
Package list:		Runtime testing required:	---

Description aethyr 2004-06-06 20:43:22 UTC

Reading the forums the past couple of months, I was wondering why I kept seeing problems related to /etc/hosts (i.e. long application startup).  I finally decided to look today at why everyone was having this problem, only to find the install guide reading:

"If your system is the only system (or the nameservers handle all name resolution) a single line is sufficient:

Code Listing 19: /etc/hosts for lonely or fully integrated PCs

127.0.0.1     localhost"

The old installation guide contained the following warning:
"Note: If you are on a DHCP network, it might be helpful to set localhost to your machine's actual hostname. This will help GNOME and many other programs in name resolution."

http://web.archive.org/web/20030602200935/www.gentoo.org/doc/en/gentoo-x86-install.xml

I believe this warning should not only be put back, but it should also be _highlighted_.  Additionally, this also causes problems for KDE.  Many people are having problems related to this.

See the following for reference:
http://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic.php?t=182362

(there's lots more like it as well)

Reproducible: Always
Steps to Reproduce:
1.
2.
3.

Comment 1 aethyr 2004-06-06 20:44:35 UTC

Just for reference, my /etc/hosts has the following two lines:

127.0.0.1       localhost
127.0.0.1       machinename

Comment 2 Sven Vermeulen (RETIRED) gentoo-dev

2004-07-02 09:20:57 UTC

The current instructions regarding /etc/hosts are correct. You just need to make sure that your hostname and fqdn are listed in the /etc/hosts.

"""
For instance, if your internal network consists of three PCs called jenny (192.168.0.5), benny (192.168.0.6) and tux (192.168.0.7 - this system) you would open /etc/hosts and fill in the values:

127.0.0.1     localhost
192.168.0.5   jenny.homenetwork jenny
192.168.0.6   benny.homenetwork benny
192.168.0.7   tux.homenetwork tux
"""

Note the fact that tux is the hostname for _this_ system and is listed in /etc/hosts.