[techtalk] localhost, etc.

[Nadine]

This is a question I don't really even know how to start asking.

I'm running DeadRat 6.0 [;-)] on a home PC that isn't connected to any
networks (for the time being).

What exactly does the /etc/hosts file do?

A little context: I know close to nil about networking, and every time
I've tried to understand it I felt like the kids in Charlie Brown (network
wah wah wah wah packet wah wah wah wah I.P. wah wah wah).

It's kinda frustrating cuz it's the aspect that most interests me in
computers (part of the reason why I installed Linux). I am *this* close to
buying Networking for Dummies.
 
Anyway, I'm asking this question cuz I installed MySQL on my PC (I'm gonna
try PHP/MySQL on one of my websites and thought I'd might as well practice
at home). The rpm installed ok, but when I try to set the root password
(first thing you s'posed to do) I get an error message:

/usr/bin/mysqladmin: connect to server at 'localhost' failed
error: 'Access denied for user: 'root at localhost' (Using password: NO)'

This happens whether I'm the root user or my plain ol' self.

Here's my /etc/hosts file:
127.0.0.1       nzingha nzingha.org

Nadine
anacaona at tao.ca
http://anacaona.org/home
http://tww.tao.ca


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