/etc/hosts and /usr/etc/resolv.conf

[Rob Spellman]

I finally connected a SGI Personal Iris onto our campus network.  I
created /usr/etc/resolv.conf, and pointed it towards our nameserver.
Telnet, ftp, et. all now work fine.  However, the next time I tried to
log in, the window server hung.  If I removed resolv.conf, it worked
again.  I tracked the problem down to the fact that there is an entry
for localhost in /etc/hosts, but not one in the nameserver.  However,
the nameserver does have an entry for 'localhost.' (note the period).
If I put 'localhost' in the nameserver, then users can log in without
any trouble.

Should I keep this entry for 'localhost' in my nameserver?  It seems
to be a kludge.  Is there some way to tell the workstation to first
look in /etc/hosts before trying the nameserver?

Here's some information about my setup retrieved by running uname -a:
gauss gauss 3.2.1 10171414 IP6

Thanks

Rob Spellman
rob at mother.bates.edu
Computing Support Services
Bates College