Editing Files Like /etc/hosts

[Annamalai Gurusami]

Hi All,

Suppose I am currently logged in as a normal user, and am using emacs
for editing some files.  And while in the middle of such an emacs
session, I would like to change the file /etc/hosts.  How can I open
this file such that I can edit it?  

If I do something like this

C-x C-f /root@localhost:/etc/hosts RET

I am getting login incorrect, because I think by default we cannot
login as 'root' in a ftp session.

Environment: 'GNU Emacs 21.3.2' on 'Slackware 10.0.0'.

Rgds,
anna

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