fingerd(8c)
Name
fingerd − remote user information server
Syntax
/etc/fingerd
Description
The fingerd program is a protocol that provides an interface to the Name and Finger programs at several network sites. The program returns an in depth status report on either the system currently in use or on a particular user whether that user is logged in or not.
The fingerd program is never executed directly by a user, but rather by the ULTRIX Internet listener daemon /etc/inetd. When /etc/inetd is listening on port 79, it passes any requests that it receives to /etc/fingerd. Once fingerd receives control, it reads a single command line terminated by a <CTRLF> which is passed to finger(.). The fingerd command closes its connections as soon as the output is finished.
If the line is null, for example a <CTRLF> is sent, then finger returns a default report that lists all the users logged into the system at that moment.
If a user name is specified as eric^F, for example, more extended information is listed for only that particular user, whether he is logged in or not. Allowable names in the command line include both login names and user names. If a name is ambiguous, however, all possible derivations are returned.