Darren Reed <darrenr@reed.wattle.id.au>,wrote on Jul 20, 1999 at 08:24 +1000: 
> In some email I received from Jens A Nilsson, sie wrote:
> > 
> > I don't understand "ifconfig lo0 127.0.0.1 netmask 0xffff0000"
> > changes the netmask correctly.
> 
> Why should changing the netmask require you to specify the IP# ?

Because the netmask belongs to that IP address, but if you don't
expect an interface to have more than one IP address I can see your
point. Ifconfig should not discard a command such as
"ifconfig lo0 netmask 0xffff0000", it should either complain or
change the netmask of the primary IP address.

-- 
mvh Jens

NetBSD: Two guys with a vax