[sf-lug] olpc: green machine -aka XO

[Rick Moen]

I wrote:

> Those files then get parsed by the sysvinit startup scripts
> (/etc/init.d/networking or whatever), which derive from them the
> values for the /sbin/ifconfig and /sbin/route commands that get run
> during startup.

Just in case my point is unclear:  During startup, each network
interface (e.g., "lo", "eth0") _must_ get an IP address assigned to it
using the /sbin/ifconfig command, and then /sbin/route gets used to tell
the system which interface to use when it's desirable to reach other IP
networks elsewhere (e.g, the rest of the Internet, for machines thus
connected).

This might help:
http://linuxhelp.blogspot.com/2006/11/ifconfig-dissected-and-demystified.html
http://linuxhelp.blogspot.com/2005/09/routing-nat-and-gateways-in-linux.html