WOW - I guess this is a thread that is about nit-picking. Sorry I missed the point.
Hosts or hosts -- I honestly never spent more than a millisecond comtemplating the capital H. But... I don't believe the Windows' file systems (either NTFS or DOS) acutally recognize a difference -- in fact, I am quite sure they do not. So crucify me for making the word
stand out as a "proper" name for emphysis!!! But that is only where you chose to
start!
"Windows does not always check the hosts file first"
Oh, again, I guess you are SO right. But... does anyone, ANYONE really bother to reconfigure the order of the name resolution???? C'mon, can you estimate what fraction of Windows users that even know what you are talking about -- much less the fraction that actually bother to reconfigure this???? Incredible. Yes, yes, oh God -- you are correct. It
is possible to modify the name resolution sequence -- but WHO actually does this?? Get real!!
"you have now taken the adminstration of that domian name totally into your own hands, so that any server/address changes, load balancing, failover, optimization, etc. are oblivious to you."
Ehhh... well, yeah, that is exactly the entire idea! If YOU want control of the name resolution, you have to take it in, eh, your own hands... Otherwise you are left with having the "other guys" control it! (and isn't that the "problem" being address in the origin of this thread -- or have I gotten myself too confused to remember?) Either way -- yes, yes, I cannot argue that -- if YOU want control YOU have to accept responsibility for your control. Such is life. Those "in control" need to "be responsible". (eh, unless you work in government -- then someone else is responsible).
Urrghh. The TOW - TWO typo. OMG -- how could I allow that?? Yes, yes -- thank you for punishing me for this typo. God, how can I possibly not misspell every word I type? Must be a miracle.
"sadly (at least for you), the whole world is not Windows"
This is the most pathologic line in your enitre response. "At least for you" - what does this mean? Do I have some stake in the proliforation of Windows? I am either "responsible for", or "reaping benefits from" the fact that Windows is still the dominant OS on the planet? I would LOVE this to be true, but unfortunately Mr. Gates does not recognize me. Yes, yes, the whole world is not Windows. And I really have NO idea if a Mac uses a Host - oops! - host file. Boy am I ignorant!
Thank you for you wonderful enlightenment.
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Edited multilple times in a vain attempt to avoid typos and errors.