WRITE(1)                                                              WRITE(1)



NAME
       write - write to another user

SYNOPSIS
       write user [ ttyname ]

DESCRIPTION
       _W_r_i_t_e  copies  lines  from your terminal to that of another user.  When
       first called, it sends the message

            Message from yourname@yoursystem on yourttyname at time...

       The recipient of the message should write back at this point.  Communi‐
       cation  continues  until an end of file is read from the terminal or an
       interrupt is sent.  At that point _w_r_i_t_e writes ‘EOT’ on the other  ter‐
       minal and exits.

       If  you  want  to  write to a user who is logged in more than once, the
       _t_t_y_n_a_m_e argument may be used to indicate the appropriate terminal name.

       Permission  to  write  may be denied or granted by use of the _m_e_s_g com‐
       mand.  At the outset writing is allowed.  Certain commands, in particu‐
       lar _n_r_o_f_f and _p_r(1) disallow messages in order to prevent messy output.

       If the character ‘!’ is found at the beginning of a line,  _w_r_i_t_e  calls
       the shell to execute the rest of the line as a command.

       The  following  protocol  is  suggested for using _w_r_i_t_e: when you first
       write to another user, wait for him to write back  before  starting  to
       send.  Each party should end each message with a distinctive signal—(o)
       for ‘over’ is conventional—that the other may reply.   (oo)  for  ‘over
       and out’ is suggested when conversation is about to be terminated.

FILES
       /etc/utmp to find user
       /bin/sh        to execute ‘!’

SEE ALSO
       mesg(1), who(1), mail(1)



7th Edition                       May 5, 1986                         WRITE(1)