xref: /386bsd/usr/share/man/cat8/fingerd.0 (revision a2142627)
1FINGERD(8)              386BSD System Manager's Manual              FINGERD(8)
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3NNAAMMEE
4     ffiinnggeerrdd - remote user information server
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6SSYYNNOOPPSSIISS
7     ffiinnggeerrdd
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9DDEESSCCRRIIPPTTIIOONN
10     FFiinnggeerrdd is a simple protocol based on _R_F_C_7_4_2 that provides an interface
11     to the Name and Finger programs at several network sites.  The program is
12     supposed to return a friendly, human-oriented status report on either the
13     system at the moment or a particular person in depth.  There is no
14     required format and the protocol consists mostly of specifying a single
15     ``command line''.
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17     FFiinnggeerrdd listens for TCP requests at port 79.  Once connected it reads a
18     single command line terminated by a <CRLF> which is passed to finger(1).
19     FFiinnggeerrdd closes its connections as soon as the output is finished.
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21     If the line is null (i.e. just a <CRLF> is sent) then finger returns a
22     ``default'' report that lists all people logged into the system at that
23     moment.
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25     If a user name is specified (e.g.  eric<CRLF>) then the response lists
26     more extended information for only that particular user, whether logged
27     in or not.  Allowable ``names'' in the command line include both ``login
28     names'' and ``user names''. If a name is ambiguous, all possible
29     derivations are returned.
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31SSEEEE AALLSSOO
32     finger(1)
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34BBUUGGSS
35     Connecting directly to the server from a TIP or an equally narrow-minded
36     TELNET-protocol user program can result in meaningless attempts at option
37     negotiation being sent to the server, which will foul up the command line
38     interpretation.  FFiinnggeerrdd should be taught to filter out IAC's and perhaps
39     even respond negatively (IAC WON'T) to all option commands received.
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41HHIISSTTOORRYY
42     The ffiinnggeerrdd command appeared in 4.3BSD.
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444.3 Berkeley Distribution       March 16, 1991                               1
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