The `~/.fingerrc' Script

When the GNU Finger server receives a request for information about a user it looks to see if the user has a `.fingerrc' file in the home directory. If such a file exists, and is executable, then this file is executed, and the normal finger output is passed to it as input. Its output becomes what is returned for the request. Thus, it can be used to:

• Disable fingering a specific user by linking `~user/.fingerrc' to `/bin/true'.
• Entirely replace the output of finger by ignoring its input. Below is a sample script which could be put in `~price-info/.fingerrc'.

  #! /bin/sh
  #
  # This sample script replaces the output of GNU Finger
  #
  echo Hack-O-Matic Consulting Services, Inc. "   " `date`
  
  cat <<ETX
  
  Hi, thanks for asking us about prices on our newly introduced support
  services for Free Software. Below is a list of new services; for a list
  of our previous services, please send mail to this address and someone
  will contact you. Please don't forget to tell us how to reach you.
  
  ETX
  cat ~/info/new-stuff
  

• Filter the output to make changes. If the script below is put in `~bson/.fingerrc' on the finger server host for the domain `gnu.ai.mit.edu':

  #! /bin/sh
  #
  # This sample filter replaces the "Project:" tag with
  # "Working on:"
  #
  sed -e 's/^Project:$/Working on:/g'
  

  Then when `finger -l bson@gnu.ai.mit.edu' is run, the output could look something like:

  Jan Brittenson (bson)
  Home: /home/fsf/bson
  Shell: /usr/local/bin/bash
  No mail.
  
  Jan Brittenson (bson) is not presently logged in.
  Last seen at wombat.gnu.ai.mit.edu on Tue Sep  1 15:08:12 1992
  
  No plan.
  
  Working on:
          1. Hacking GNU Finger
          2. Making friends
  

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