How can I tell a host name from a subdomain

[Sam Kong]

Thans Kevin for replying.
See the inline messages.

Kevin Darcy <kcd at daimlerchrysler.com> wrote in message news:<bgpdno$i1f$1 at sf1.isc.org>...
> Sam Kong wrote:
> 
> > Hello!
> >
> > I hope I am posting a message to a right group.
> >
> > Somebody gave me her web site address.
> >
> > It's like vi.somename.com .
> > (somename is an example and vi and com are real).
> >
> > vi.somename.com could be a host name and a subdomain.
> > Is there a way to tell one from the other without asking her?
> 
> Technically every DNS name (except the root name) is a "subdomain" of
> some other DNS name. It's a purely relative term, like "subdirectory",
> "subcategory" and so forth.
Then do you think that a host name is also a subdomain?
Subdomain can have many hosts in its domain.
But host is just a computer and can't have lower level nodes.
And also
user at subdomain.domain.com is possible but
user at hostname.domain.com is not.

Or am I wrong? I am not sure.

> 
> Why do you care about the difference between a host name and a
> subdomain? You access it via a browser the same way regardless.
Just curiosity...

> 
> 
> - Kevin