What is /com/host?

Question

The Perl documentation for Sys::Hostname contains:

Attempts several methods of getting the system hostname [...]. It tries the first available of [blah blah] , and the file /com/host. If all that fails it croaks.

What systems is this /com/host used on? It's a very ungooglable filename, and this is the first time I have heard of it.

The only mention of /com I have found is in Apollo Domain/OS, where it is listed as "AEGIS Shell commands", but still no /com/host. — u1686_grawity, Jan 31 '11 at 10:28

score 5 · Accepted Answer · answered Apr 19 '11 at 13:05

5

If you were to look at the actual code for Sys::Hostname you would see this:

# method 6 - Apollo pre-SR10
|| eval {
    local $SIG{__DIE__};
    my($a,$b,$c,$d);
    ($host,$a,$b,$c,$d)=split(/[:\. ]/,`/com/host`,6);
}

so obviously it is on Apollo, pre SR10.

I have no idea what that means - it could be on the moon for all I know ;) Did they use Perl for the moon landings? So pre-SR10 could be before Saturn-V Rocket 10?

answered Apr 19 '11 at 13:05

Majenko

32,428

That would be Apollo Domain/OS, a networked and somewhat Unix-like operating system for Apollo workstations. SR10 is the version number. (Facepalm queued for forgetting to check the source.) – u1686_grawity Apr 19 '11 at 14:09
@grawity you should swing by root-access chat - we're having a facepalm fest today. – Majenko Apr 19 '11 at 14:11
After some more research, it appears that "pre-SR10" means Apollo AEGIS, not Domain/OS (which started at SR10). – u1686_grawity Apr 19 '11 at 18:54
1

I still say it's something to do with the moon landings. – Majenko Apr 19 '11 at 18:56

What is /com/host?

1 Answers1