<!--
title: Finger
author: gbmor
description: Getting started with fingerd
-->

# Finger

The finger protocol was created way back in 1977. its purpose was to
display information about the queried user of a system, or all the users
of a system.

It fell out of use in the 1990s due to various security concerns. the
old finger daemons were buggy and easily exploited, while the
information garnered from a query could be used for social engineering
attacks. nowadays, the finger daemons have been refined and are no longer
so vulnerable.

In the post-Facebook world, new types of social networks are
popping up. the latest in this movement is a resurgence of the finger
protocol. what follows is a rough guide for getting yourself up to speed
with finger on tilde.institute.

## Querying

The standard query for finger is simply

```
finger user@host
```

which displays login name, home directory, shell, real name, current login
time, idle time, whether or not the user has mail, and the contents of
the user's `~/.plan` file. Here is an example of the output:

```
Login: username                          Name: Bob Bobson XXII
Directory: /home/username                Shell: /bin/bash
On since Wed Jan  2 04:04 (EST) on pts/94 from 168.297.83.21 via mosh [6420]
    8 minutes 26 seconds idle
Last login Wed Jan  2 04:33 (EST) on pts/91 from 168.297.83.21
No mail.
Plan: hey hey hey everybody!
```

## .plan

The `~/.plan` file displayed at the end of the finger query response
allows for some customization. You can put literally any text you want
there. Status updates, summaries, etc. This little file allows us to use
finger as a rudimentary social network.

For example, say you want to use it as a personal summary, like having
a blurb about what you're working on. Place the statement into `~/.plan`
and you're ready to go!

For a more traditional social network style format, put dated and timed
status updates as if you're tooting on a mastodon instance. The sky's
the limit! Well, actually, text is the limit. But you get the idea. Right?

Hope to see you on finger soon!

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