"Ed Mullen" <ed@edmullen.net> wrote in message
newsIGdnTP_78JRXufVnZ2dnUVZ_uydnZ2d@comcast.com...
> Tom wrote:
>> On Sun, 13 Jul 2008 14:52:18 -0400, Ed Mullen wrote:
>>
>>> Why are you jumping through all these hoops? The Windows "hosts" file
>>> is a plain text file you can edit in Notepad.
>>
>> I know, I know. Microsoft put the c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts
>> file in the most
>> ridiculous non-intuitive spot it could possibly find, deep in muck, deep
>> under large directories that take a while to load, and without a decent
>> extension so you have to grope for your text editor (mine is vim
>> freeware).
>>
>> So, rather than "jump thru hoops" each time just to edit the hosts file,
>> I
>> add a one-time-only registry key "hosts" which opens up the TEXT file (so
>> that I have a backup if I need it). When I type "Start -> Run -> hosts",
>> vim opens up that
>> c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts.txt text file, where I edit and
>> save
>> to "hosts" which it saves in the current directory (i.e.,
>> c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts).
>>
>> That's a LOT easier than navigating deep into the windows hierarchy into
>> the least logical place MS could have placed the hosts file and then
>> fumbling around to get notepad to edit the file with no extension.
>
> Nonsense!
>
> You have detailed a process that does not work in my standard install of
> WXP-SP3. You have further created a questionable process involving
> editing the Windows Registry which is, at best, a questionable process in
> and of itself, and hardly something to be posting to a newsgroup.
>
> Further, you have not answered satisfactorily any questions of the links
> you posted. And, your bizarre approach to a HOSTS file is ...
> mind-blowingly stupid.
>
> I deem this entire thread bogus at best, threatening at worst. I
> encourage no one to do anything that "Tom" has recommended until he
> demonstrates that he actually knows what he's doing by citing
> authoritative references.
>
> That HOSTS file and registry stuff is total nonsense and the product of
> (at best) someone who has not a clue and who has been surfing and copied
> suspect references.

Nonsense. This is a fine solution (though I can think of simpler ones ...
like just creating a shortcut to vim-edit the hosts file).