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In what world is `tst` a better part of a hostname than `testing`? All this article seems discuss is a naming scheme for lazy people who don't want to type long and descriptive hostnames.

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That was my first thought, the author seems to like three-letters, I don't know why `sql` is better than `db` for database, considering not all databases are based on the SQL standard, and `mta` for mail server? Really?

It is easy for the hacker news crowd to forget this in an age of google apps, but lots of organizations run their own -- possibly substantial -- email services, and in a well-scaled email setup the mta may be a completely separate machine from the mda/msa/mra.

Having a "mail server" might be fine for lots of places, but having disparate machines with specific functions is not invalid.

Author here...the important thing isn't the abbreviations, but having a standard that you can agree upon and use consistently. The listed items are just an example scheme that tries to keep the length consistent to make scanning though a list visually a little easier.

I think you should make that more clear. It doesn't say anywhere in the article "for example, you could use something like this".

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