[Novices] Rename Hostname?

[Adam Tauno Williams]

> I'm running Fedora Core 3 and I'm trying to change my
> hostname to something a little more descriptive than
> "localhost".  I know I have to edit /etc/hosts for my
> changes to live though a shutdown, but now a Google
> search also said I have to mess around with
> /etc/sysconfig/network.  Are these the only two
> changes I need to make, or is there another step
> lurking somewhere out there?

Fedora should provide a configuration utility to change this value;  but
manually, yes, /etc/sysconfig/network and /etc/hosts should be
sufficient unless you are part of a Kerberos, AD, or NT domain.

> Also, (for a completely network-ignorant guy) what's
> the difference between localhost and localdomain? 
> Should I be messing with localdomain too, or can I
> leave it alone?

Well, localhost is the localmachines name, and localdomain is a stand-in
for a FQDN since you didn't assign one.  You should always change both
values;  "example.com/net/org" is safe to use as a domain if you don't
want to register one (RFC2606), or simply use a domain name with a bogus
root like "mynetwork.foo" - *DO* *NOT* *NOT* *NOT* just make-up a name
with a real root, like "local.com" or the like - if you do you *WILL*
regret it later.
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