Ask HN: How do you choose a hostname for personal devices?

#1

Post by fallingsquirrel » Sun, Jul 28, 2024, 9:46 PM UTC

I just built a new PC and I'm having trouble deciding on a hostname. I used to name them after the CPU inside, but my last PC got a CPU upgrade halfway through so the name didn't make sense anymore. So I guess I need a new system.

What are some naming systems you all use?

Re: Ask HN: How do you choose a hostname for personal devices?

#2

Post by rbanffy » Sun, Jul 28, 2024, 9:49 PM UTC

I’ve been using sci-fi authors. My laptop is “lem”, the cluster is “Gibson” with machines numbered from zero. The Mac Mini is “harlan” after Harlan Ellison (didn’t want it to be confused with that Oracle guy). The Windows machine is named “Brian” after Brian Herbert, because he is a terrible writer. There’s also Douglas Adams, Arthur Clarke, Isaac Asimov, Charlie Stross, and many others.

Re: Ask HN: How do you choose a hostname for personal devices?

#3

Post by bhaney » Sun, Jul 28, 2024, 9:53 PM UTC

I name my machines after Neutral Milk Hotel song titles and lyrics

Re: Ask HN: How do you choose a hostname for personal devices?

#4

Post by ofalkaed » Sun, Jul 28, 2024, 9:58 PM UTC

I use old man names, old man names in this case being those names which where archaic when I was little and only very old men had them. No idea why, just started doing it 25 years ago and kept it up. But hostname for my main computer has always been yeoman, I assume it is because it does the yeoman's share but I really don't remember, might have just been a whim.