If you can't reach a remote host, you'll at least be able to get more information than just a simple error message. These are a few utility programs that can help you locate what you're seeking. Finger A popular utility is called Finger, one of the forerunners to today's popular phone books. Finger allows you to find information about someone. If you conduct a search using Finger, it supplies you with information that the user who created that file want's to share, such as the person's full name, telephone number and office location or address.
Some people use finger to release certain information about themselves.
You'll find, however, that not all accounts are finger-able. Sometimes the administrator of the system hosting the account has decided not to run a finger server. Another reason you might not be able to finger someone is that the e-mail address you have is not the actual address of an account. Some universities use aliases so that everyone has similar looking e-mail addresses that are easier to remember. The problem is that it's not a real account.