Finger and Local Directory With the Internet Mail system, the directory is replaced by two components. The first is a software program called finger. The Finger program is passed the entire name of the person to whom the user wishes to send mail and returns the addressee's complete e-mail address. The handles are unique-and if a user selects one already in use, the system admin will request a different selection. If a name is duplicated, Finger will return all instances of the name.
Finger can also return other user information such as job description and voice phone number.
The second component is a local directory. Basically this is a file containing all users in the organizations and their equivalent labels. The usual practice is for the mail admin to place on their own machine copies of the MUAs running in the system. Next month I will go over instructions for setting up the mail clients.