5 ms·

Finger: The First Social Software (2019)

73 points by dyx 4y ago

gerikson 4y ago
Modern implementation of .plan files: <https://plan.cat https://plan.cat> The Gemini/Gopher browser Lagrange can handle finger:// links. <https://github.com/skyjake/lagrange#lagrange https://github.com/skyjake/lagrange#lagrange>
- runnr_az 4y ago
  Here's a modern implementation of FingerD in Node: https://finger.farm/ https://finger.farm/
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
jimmydeans 4y ago
fullstop 4y ago
I used to finger John Carmack's account when we was at id Software to get information on what technology interested in at the time and what he was working on.
robga 4y ago
In the early 90s a practise at my university was to “finger some.edu” and subsequently “talk [or ytalk] randomperson@some.edu” half way around the world. IIRC we could have 4 people ytalking. We had IRC but it lacked variety. In another terminal window you’d have a “watch w” waiting for local “friends” to turn up. For example, see http://www.columbia.edu/cu/moment/v0/100996/ytalk.html http://www.columbia.edu/cu/moment/v0/100996/ytalk.html
- teddyh 4y ago
  I remember xhtalk. It was a graphical X11 program which you configured with a list of hosts and usernames, and corresponding full names, and it ran “finger” at those hosts at regular intervals, looking for those usernames. If any of those usernames were seen to be logged in, they were shown in a list, and if you clicked on a user in that displayed list, a new terminal would be started with a talk session to that user. It was basically a precursor to the instant messenger craze, which had not yet started.
hugs 4y ago
There is a semi-famous quote (maybe by pg?) that I can't find, but it's something like: "If you're looking for startup ideas, look at the list of built-in command line programs in Unix and figure out which ones you can turn into a web service."
- demopathos 4y ago
  That's good. There was a post on hacker news a week back or so that was essentially ifconfig as a webapl and I was thinking to myself, "what other command line tools can be webapls"
- nayuki 4y ago
  I remember this quote from somewhere too but can't find the source. Can anyone help?
  - hugs 4y ago
    I almost want to say this wasn't so much a quote, but the summary of a pg essay. (At least it sounds like something he would say and write about.)
  - nayuki 4y ago
    Found some candidates, still not sure if they are the best sources. > Every Unix Command Becomes a Startup -- https://matt-rickard.com/every-unix-command-becomes-a-startup/ https://matt-rickard.com/every-unix-command-becomes-a-startu... [2022-04-09] > Every Unix command eventually become an internet service. Grep->Google, rsync->Dropbox, man->stack overflow, cron->ifttt ... etc -- https://twitter.com/cdixon/status/505118160811728896 https://twitter.com/cdixon/status/505118160811728896 [2014-08-28]
9dev 4y ago
If only the name wasn't as awkward... I can't help myself, maybe it's just my crude foreigner's understanding of the English language, but fingering someone always has that uncomfortable, slightly salacious sound in my ears.
- jaywalk 4y ago
  Your understanding is spot on. It's commonly used to refer to a sexual act involving fingers.
- warent 4y ago
  native American English speaker here. it's not just you. it's weird
- mturmon 4y ago
  If it helps, I think this was closer to the intent: https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/put+finger+on https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/put+finger+on
ebjaas_2022 4y ago
There are still finger based services online. For instance: finger new_york@graph.no Which will give you: [graph.no] -= Meteogram for New York, United States =- 'C Rain (mm) 21 === 20### === === 19 ### ========= ====== 18 === --- 17 --- 16 --- 15 --- 14 ------ 13 ------ --- 12 | | | ------ 1 mm _10_11_12_13_14_15_16_17_18_19_20 21 22 23 17/05 02 03 04 05_06_07 Hour S SE SE SE SE S S S SW SW SW W W W W W W W W W W
loceng 4y ago
I've alway wondered is 'finger' short for fingerprint?
- layer8 4y ago
  No, it’s from meaning 1 here: https://en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/finger#Verb https://en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/finger#Verb
dang 4y ago
Url changed from https://web.archive.org/web/20190519174635/https://somanymachines.com/tx/finger-the-first-social-software/ https://web.archive.org/web/20190519174635/https://somanymac..., which points to this.

73 points by dyx 4y ago

Modern implementation of .plan files: <https://plan.cat https://plan.cat> The Gemini/Gopher browser Lagrange can handle finger:// links. <https://github.com/skyjake/lagrange#lagrange https://github.com/skyjake/lagrange#lagrange>

runnr_az 4y ago
Here's a modern implementation of FingerD in Node: https://finger.farm/ https://finger.farm/

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]

jimmydeans 4y ago

fullstop 4y ago

I used to finger John Carmack's account when we was at id Software to get information on what technology interested in at the time and what he was working on.

robga 4y ago

In the early 90s a practise at my university was to “finger some.edu” and subsequently “talk [or ytalk] randomperson@some.edu” half way around the world. IIRC we could have 4 people ytalking. We had IRC but it lacked variety. In another terminal window you’d have a “watch w” waiting for local “friends” to turn up. For example, see http://www.columbia.edu/cu/moment/v0/100996/ytalk.html http://www.columbia.edu/cu/moment/v0/100996/ytalk.html

teddyh 4y ago
I remember xhtalk. It was a graphical X11 program which you configured with a list of hosts and usernames, and corresponding full names, and it ran “finger” at those hosts at regular intervals, looking for those usernames. If any of those usernames were seen to be logged in, they were shown in a list, and if you clicked on a user in that displayed list, a new terminal would be started with a talk session to that user. It was basically a precursor to the instant messenger craze, which had not yet started.

hugs 4y ago

There is a semi-famous quote (maybe by pg?) that I can't find, but it's something like: "If you're looking for startup ideas, look at the list of built-in command line programs in Unix and figure out which ones you can turn into a web service."

demopathos 4y ago
That's good. There was a post on hacker news a week back or so that was essentially ifconfig as a webapl and I was thinking to myself, "what other command line tools can be webapls"
nayuki 4y ago
I remember this quote from somewhere too but can't find the source. Can anyone help?
- hugs 4y ago
  I almost want to say this wasn't so much a quote, but the summary of a pg essay. (At least it sounds like something he would say and write about.)
- nayuki 4y ago
  Found some candidates, still not sure if they are the best sources. > Every Unix Command Becomes a Startup -- https://matt-rickard.com/every-unix-command-becomes-a-startup/ https://matt-rickard.com/every-unix-command-becomes-a-startu... [2022-04-09] > Every Unix command eventually become an internet service. Grep->Google, rsync->Dropbox, man->stack overflow, cron->ifttt ... etc -- https://twitter.com/cdixon/status/505118160811728896 https://twitter.com/cdixon/status/505118160811728896 [2014-08-28]

9dev 4y ago

If only the name wasn't as awkward... I can't help myself, maybe it's just my crude foreigner's understanding of the English language, but fingering someone always has that uncomfortable, slightly salacious sound in my ears.

jaywalk 4y ago
Your understanding is spot on. It's commonly used to refer to a sexual act involving fingers.
warent 4y ago
native American English speaker here. it's not just you. it's weird
mturmon 4y ago
If it helps, I think this was closer to the intent: https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/put+finger+on https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/put+finger+on

ebjaas_2022 4y ago

There are still finger based services online. For instance: finger new_york@graph.no Which will give you: [graph.no] -= Meteogram for New York, United States =- 'C Rain (mm) 21 === 20### === === 19 ### ========= ====== 18 === --- 17 --- 16 --- 15 --- 14 ------ 13 ------ --- 12 | | | ------ 1 mm _10_11_12_13_14_15_16_17_18_19_20 21 22 23 17/05 02 03 04 05_06_07 Hour S SE SE SE SE S S S SW SW SW W W W W W W W W W W

loceng 4y ago

I've alway wondered is 'finger' short for fingerprint?

layer8 4y ago
No, it’s from meaning 1 here: https://en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/finger#Verb https://en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/finger#Verb

dang 4y ago

Url changed from https://web.archive.org/web/20190519174635/https://somanymachines.com/tx/finger-the-first-social-software/ https://web.archive.org/web/20190519174635/https://somanymac..., which points to this.