Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site mit-eddie.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!genrad!mit-eddie!barmar From: barmar@mit-eddie.UUCP (Barry Margolin) Newsgroups: net.misc Subject: Re: another etymology Message-ID: <523@mit-eddie.UUCP> Date: Sat, 30-Jul-83 17:46:23 EDT Article-I.D.: mit-eddie.523 Posted: Sat Jul 30 17:46:23 1983 Date-Received: Mon, 1-Aug-83 07:20:09 EDT References: <203@mddc.UUCP> Organization: MIT, Cambridge, MA Lines: 9 I believe that the FINGER program comes from the ITS (Incompatible Timesharing System) operating system at MIT. The original name of this program was NAME, but somehow it acquired the synonym FINGER. I believe it has something to do with the fact that it tells you where the person is logged in from, thus pointing a finger at him. -- Barry Margolin ARPA: barmar@MIT-Multics UUCP: ..!genrad!mit-eddie!barmar