Machine name and 'localhost' work, but local and . don't

SQL Server 2005 express...

when i'm trying to connect through SQL Express Manager, i can connect just fine if i use 'localhost\sqlexpress', or [machinename]\sqlexpress, but if i use local\sqlexpress or .\sqlexpress, it times out.

i've recently had trouble connecting through VBExpress as well, and i'm wondering if it's because it always uses .\sqlexpress to connect...

Anyone know why these 2 seemingly valid options don't work anymore?

found it! after 2 days of stressing.... somehow, aliases had been created that seem to redirect those inputs to.... i have no idea where...

name: .\sqlexpress
server: .\sqlexpress

why wouldn't this work, anyway?|||Depending on which protocols you have enabled the following is acceptable;

.\sqlexpress
(local)\sqlexpress
localhost\sqlexpress|||that's what i thought, but only the third of those three worked.

now that i've deleted the aliases, they all work again.

how do the aliases work?|||Alias's are covered in BOL but they basically provide (in this case) client side resolution of shortcuts to real names