Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!harvard!caip!lll-crg!mordor!ut-sally!franklin From: franklin@ut-sally.UUCP (Maurice T. Franklin) Newsgroups: net.unix Subject: Re: Re: /bin/true Message-ID: <4874@ut-sally.UUCP> Date: Thu, 8-May-86 16:36:50 EDT Article-I.D.: ut-sally.4874 Posted: Thu May 8 16:36:50 1986 Date-Received: Sun, 11-May-86 00:16:43 EDT References: <481@batcomputer.TN.CORNELL.EDU> <518@looking.UUCP> <1110@whuxl.UUCP> <154@toram.UUCP> Reply-To: franklin@sally.UUCP (Maurice T. Franklin) Organization: U. Texas CS Dept., Austin, Texas Lines: 289 Keywords: true joke Summary: True truly does it all, copyright not withstanding There has been a considerable amount of discussion on the net recently about the copyright status of Unix (tm) and the command /bin/true. Seeing the fol- lowing item on net.jokes, I figured it was time we take a serious (:-) look at the capabilites of /bin/true. Enjoy, and thanks to Ken Arromdee. ------------- Relay-Version: version B 2.10.3 4.3bsd-beta 6/6/85; site ut-sally.UUCP Path: ut-sally!seismo!umcp-cs!aplcen!jhunix!jor_d015 From: jor_d015@jhunix.UUCP (Ken Arromdee) Newsgroups: net.jokes Subject: Yet another manual page (true) Message-ID: <2691@jhunix.UUCP> Date: 1 May 86 02:20:53 GMT Date-Received: 2 May 86 09:43:35 GMT Reply-To: jor_d015@jhunix.UUCP (Ken Arromdee) Organization: TARDIS Repairs, Inc. Lines: 259 TRUE(1) UNIX 5.0 (26 January 1986) TRUE(1) NAME /bin/true - Unix version of True SYNOPSIS true [ -abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzBDEFNOZ ] DESCRIPTION True is a general-purpose Unix program, often used in shell scripts. The allowable options are: -a list Check user name against list of those permitted to use /bin/true. -b Run in batch mode. -c Produce core dump. -d Produce debugging output. -e Ignore end-of-file. -f Run in /bin/false mode (also see -t) -g Output garbage to terminal (also see a.out(1)) -h Debugging output in hexadecimal (default octal) -i Interactive mode -j Wait until user returns from the john. -l Create log file. -m Check to see if the moon is full -n priority Run at lower priority (see nice(1)) -o file Send value to file file instead of to the calling program. -p number Pause number seconds before execution -q Quick true. -r [options] Run rogue(5) before exiting -s uid Page 1 (printed 4/26/86) TRUE(1) UNIX 5.0 (26 January 1986) TRUE(1) Run setuid mode -t Run in /bin/false -t mode -u Use effective instead of real UID. -v Execute older version of /bin/true, provided for compatibility. -w Write a dash followed by the letter "w" to standard output (see ascii(8)) -x Encryption mode (in Unix (tm) systems sold in the USA only) -y Turn terminal yellow. -z Return zero to calling program -B Debugging output in binary (default octal) -D Debugging output in hexadecimal (default octal) -E Wait until user finishes eating lunch. -F file Test to see if file exists (may fail if attempted on a non-existent file) -N When debugging, send output to /dev/null. -O Debugging output in octal. -S filename Return to specified shell script instead of calling program. -Z Give system privileges to caller. FILES /bin/true, /bin/false, /bin/sh, /usr/games/rogue SEE ALSO crypt(1), false(1), rogue(5), sh(1), su(1) NOTES The original version of this program consisted of no lines; when the program became over 100 times as large, it was decided that some essential features be added. BUGS Return value is always 0, except with the -f option. Page 2 (printed 4/26/86) ------------------------------------------------------(source follows) .TH TRUE 1 "26 January 1986" .SH NAME /bin/true \- Unix version of True .SH SYNOPSIS \fBtrue\fP [ \-abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzBDEFNOZ ] .SH DESCRIPTION \fITrue\fP is a general-purpose Unix program, often used in shell scripts. The allowable options are: .TP .BI "-a " list Check user name against list of those permitted to use \fI/bin/true\fP. .TP .B -b Run in batch mode. .TP .B -c Produce core dump. .TP .B -d Produce debugging output. .TP .B -e Ignore end-of-file. .TP .B -f Run in /bin/false mode (also see -t) .TP .B -g Output garbage to terminal (also see \fIa.out(1)\fP) .TP .B -h Debugging output in hexadecimal (default octal) .TP .B -i Interactive mode .TP .B -j Wait until user returns from the john. .TP .B -l Create log file. .TP .B -m Check to see if the moon is full .TP .BI "-n " priority Run at lower priority (see \fInice(1)\fP) .TP .BI "-o " file Send value to file \fIfile\fP instead of to the calling program. .TP .BI "-p " number Pause \fInumber\fP seconds before execution .TP .B -q Quick true. .TP .BI "-r " [options] Run \fIrogue(5)\fP before exiting .TP .BI "-s " uid Run setuid mode .TP .B -t Run in /bin/false -t mode .TP .B -u Use effective instead of real UID. .TP .B -v Execute older version of /bin/true, provided for compatibility. .TP .B -w Write a dash followed by the letter "w" to standard output (see \fIascii(8)\fP) .TP .B -x Encryption mode (in Unix (tm) systems sold in the USA only) .TP .B -y Turn terminal yellow. .TP .B -z Return zero to calling program .TP .B -B Debugging output in binary (default octal) .TP .B -D Debugging output in hexadecimal (default octal) .TP .B -E Wait until user finishes eating lunch. .TP .BI "-F " file Test to see if \fIfile\fP exists (may fail if attempted on a non-existent file) .TP .B -N When debugging, send output to /dev/null. .TP .B -O Debugging output in octal. .TP .BI "-S " filename Return to specified shell script instead of calling program. .TP .BI -Z Give system privileges to caller. .SH FILES /bin/true, /bin/false, /bin/sh, /usr/games/rogue .SH "SEE ALSO" crypt(1), false(1), rogue(5), sh(1), su(1) .SH NOTES The original version of this program consisted of no lines; when the program became over 100 times as large, it was decided that some essential features be added. .SH BUGS Return value is always 0, except with the \-f option. ------------------------------------------------(end source) -- "We are going to give a little something, a few little years more, to socialism, because socialism is defunct. It dies all by iself. The bad thing is that socialism, being a victim of its... Did I say socialism?" -Fidel Castro Kenneth Arromdee BITNET: G46I4701 at JHUVM and INS_AKAA at JHUVMS CSNET: ins_akaa@jhunix.CSNET ARPA: ins_akaa%jhunix@hopkins.ARPA UUCP: ...allegra!hopkins!jhunix!ins_akaa ------------- "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic" - Arthur C. Clark Maurice T. Franklin CS Dept University of Texas at Austin UUCP: {ihnp4,seismo,harvard,gatech}!ut-sally!franklin ARPA Internet and CSNET: franklin@sally.utexas.edu [Disclaimer: The University of Texas at Austin, the Computer Science Dept, nor just about anybody else, is to be held responsible for what I say here.]