in defense of nslookup

Simon Waters Simon at wretched.demon.co.uk
Wed Aug 7 11:24:34 UTC 2002


david wrote:
> 
> david steps on podium....
> 
> The whole reason why we have tools to choose from is because people don't
> agree.

Assuming you mean "tools" plural - I disagree.

There are lots of reasons you have multiple tools, not just
because people disagree.

I have a screwdriver set and an electic screwdriver - one is
good for computers the other is good for DIY work - the decision
which one to use might depend on opinion, although in most cases
there is a 'right one' to use.

I use to have a hand axe and a stone age axe, both were designed
for chopping wood, one was of historical interest only.

So we may have similar but different tools for good reasons,
historical reasons. Often the task dictates the best tool for
the job, and if no good tools is readily available we may well
use an inappropriate one - usually followed by much cursing and
sore fingers in my experience.

> ... and it's a good thing.

The question remains is when, if ever, is nslookup the
appropriate tool?

Bill's complaint that dig doesn't work like it use it, is fine,
but it isn't a reason to support nslookup, my electric
screwdriver isn't as good as my old landlords electric
screwdriver, but I'd still prefer it when erecting a fence over
a manual screwdriver.

If we accept that nslookup isn't as good a tool for diagnosing
problems in the DNS hierarchy as dig, and Bill implies as much,
then the question becomes what are you going to use it for. What
does it do that ping doesn't do - sure you can look up other
record types, but if they are in the DNS then dig does that, if
they aren't in the DNS then nslookup doesn't guarantee to do it.

Bill seems to be suggesting it is better for some client
resolution problems than other readily accessible tools, like
urm ping. But in these circumstances nslookup still starts
trying to talk DNS, hang on who said our client resolution even
used DNS....

If it is the tool of choice for client lookup problems, and I
remain to be convinced, it is for a dearth of more appropriate
tools for the task, and not because it is well designed or well
written for that purpose.

When you have a hammer everything looks like a snail.


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