discuss: Home Networking HOWTO
Subject:
Re: [discuss] Home Networking HOWTO
From:
Martin Wheeler ####@####.####
Date:
24 Aug 2005 13:02:52 -0000
Message-Id: <Pine.LNX.4.61.0508241349300.868@chaucer.startext.demon.co.uk>
On Tue, 23 Aug 2005, Richard Schetnan wrote:
> For example, though I don't want to change the scope
> of the howto, I do want to make it less
> distribution-specific
Good.
But also make sure you cover the distribution-specific differences, where
necessary.
> Simply put, DNS and DHCP are
> completely unnecessary for home networking.
Ahem. Be careful of mistaking your own personal needs for those of
everyone else.
For example -- my own personal home network uses DHCP. However, it is set
up so that certain machines (identified by network card) ALWAYS get the
same address. E.g. my laptop. So why use DHCP then?
Because when I disconnect the laptop and cart it off to a client, or the
local user group, etc., all I then have to do is plug it into the local
network (and maybe run a script, according to network setup) to pick up my
new network address.
As this happens two or three times a week, DHCP is absolutely necessary
for me. (And where there is no risk of conflict, my /etc/hosts carries
details of principal machines on some of the other networks, too.)
> Or do I, as the new author, simply forge ahead
> and replace the discussion of DNS/DHCP with a
> discussion of setting up /etc/hosts?
Please don't.
Rather -- include sections on *both*.
HOWTOs by their very nature unfortunately have to cater for *all* cases --
even those the writer may have no personal experience of. It's part of
the 'fun' of writing them.
Cheers,
--
Martin Wheeler - StarTEXT / AVALONIX - Glastonbury - BA6 9PH - England
####@####.#### http://www.startext.co.uk/mwheeler/
GPG pub key : 01269BEB 6CAD BFFB DB11 653E B1B7 C62B AC93 0ED8 0126 9BEB
- Share your knowledge. It's a way of achieving immortality. -
