FINGERD(8C-BSD)     RISC/os Reference Manual      FINGERD(8C-BSD)



NAME
     fingerd - remote user information server

SYNOPSIS
     /etc/fingerd

DESCRIPTION
     fingerd is a simple protocol based on RFC742 that provides
     an interface to the Name and Finger programs at several net-
     work sites.  The program is supposed to return a friendly,
     human-oriented status report on either the system at the
     moment or a particular person in depth.  There is no
     required format and the protocol consists mostly of specify-
     ing a single ``command line''.

     fingerd listens for TCP requests at port 79.  Once connected
     it reads a single command line terminated by a <CRLF> which
     is passed to finger(1).  fingerd closes its connections as
     soon as the output is finished.

     If the line is null (i.e. just a <CRLF> is sent) then finger
     returns a ``default'' report that lists all people logged
     into the system at that moment.

     If a user name is specified (e.g. eric<CRLF>) then the
     response lists more extended information for only that par-
     ticular user, whether logged in or not.  Allowable ``names''
     in the command line include both ``login names'' and ``user
     names''.  If a name is ambiguous, all possible derivations
     are returned.

SEE ALSO
     finger(1)

BUGS
     Connecting directly to the server from a TIP or an equally
     narrow-minded TELNET-protocol user program can result in
     meaningless attempts at option negotiation being sent to the
     server, which will foul up the command line interpretation.
     fingerd should be taught to filter out IAC's and perhaps
     even respond negatively (IAC WON'T) to all option commands
     received.













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