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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