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Date: Sun, 11 Feb 2007 01:35:35 +0000
From: "Bruce M. Simpson" <bms@FreeBSD.org>
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To: Ian Smith <smithi@nimnet.asn.au>
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Cc: Kevin Way <kevin@insidesystems.net>, Jeremy Chadwick <koitsu@freebsd.org>,
	Brooks Davis <brooks@freebsd.org>, freebsd-stable@freebsd.org
Subject: Re: Desired behaviour of "ifconfig -alias"
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Ian Smith wrote:
> Does not 'remove the network address specified' imply that this should
> fail if a) there is no network address specified or b) the address that
> is specified is not an existing alias address for the interface?
>   
I tend towards disallowing -alias without argument for reasons of 
consistency and for the reasons of preventing foot-shooting as you 
describe. This is not the first time we've run into problems with 
ifconfig(8) arguments.
> Secondly, pardon my ignorance, but what does 'NS' refer to here?  That
> string / term occurs nowhere else in ifconfig(8). 
>   
Old Xerox comms protocols.
> Perhaps I'm missing a valid (and used) usage of -alias with no address?
>   

I touched ifconfig.8 last. I'm very happy to check in a patch from somebody.

Kind regards,
BMS