NAME

	finger, tcp79 – finger client and server

SYNOPSIS

	finger target

DESCRIPTION

These programs implement the finger protocol, as defined by RFC 1288. If target contains a @, finger will consider the part on the left–hand side a user and the part on the right–hand side a host; if target does not contain a @, finger will consider it a host. finger will connect to host and request information on the host (if no user is specified) or the given user. tcp79 is normally not invoked directly, but is invoked by listen(8) by placing it in /rc/bin/service. If it is given a request without a user, it will return a list of the login name and real name (as found in /adm/keys.who) of any currently logged–in user. If it is given a request for information about a particular user, it will return that users login name, real name, and the time of their last login, followed by four optional segments. /usr/$user/lib/finger         If this file exists, its contents (up to 10 lines) will be printed directly. This is intended to provide information like additional contact methods. twtxt                   If tw(1) is installed, the last non–reply or non–directed post will be printed. /usr/$user/lib/project        If this file exists, its first line will be printed. /usr/$user/lib/plan          If this file exists, it will be printed. tcp79 will not forward requests and will provide a message to that effect if it is asked to do so.

FILES

	/usr/$user/lib/(finger, project, plan) Optional content returned in queries for user information.

SOURCE

	http://txtpunk.com/finger

SEE ALSO

	http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc1288 tw(1) — http://txtpunk.com/tw

BUGS

	tcp79 accepts but ignores the /W token, essentially acting as though it is always supplied, while finger provides no way to specify it. finger assumes a target without an @ in it is a hostname, rather than a local user as per most Unix implementations. tcp79 only looks for tw(1) in the target user's directory, not site–wide installations. Vending machines still sometimes eat money.