.--------------------------------------------------------------------------. | TEXTNET 1.1 (Jul 8, 2025) - A Python-based Finger Client (RFC 1288) | '--------------------------------------------------------------------------' .--------------------------------------------------------------------------. | The latest version of this documentation is always included within the | | script itself and can be accessed using: | | | | textnet -helpdoc | less | | or | | textnet --helpdoc > filename.txt | '--------------------------------------------------------------------------' .--------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Description | |--------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | textnet is a Python-based finger client with support for additional | | text-only protocols. Currently supported: | | | | * finger:// | | * dict:// | | * Quote of the Day | | * whois | | | | Additional features include smart text wrapping, rendering finger output | | as preformatted HTML with clickable links, and quick script editing using| | the "-e" flag. | | | '--------------------------------------------------------------------------' .--------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Finger Usage | |--------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | * textnet @domain.com # Query host | | * textnet user@domain.com # Query specific user | | * textnet @localhost # fingerd must be installed locally | | | '--------------------------------------------------------------------------' .--------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Command Line Options | |--------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | -v --version Show version info | | -h --help, -?, /? Show this help message | | -l --license Display full Blue Oak Model License 1.0.0 | | -les --les Display 'About Les Earnest' | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | -e --edit Open script with default editor (uses sudo)| | -w --wrap Smart wrap (default: 80). Uses fold & less | | -r --render Output HTML with clickable links | | -t --timeout <seconds> Set connection timeout (default: 5 seconds)| | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | -q --qotd Query djxmmx.net: Quote of the Day server | | -d --define <word> Define a word using WordNet at dict.org | | -s --synonym <word> Query Moby Thesaurus at dict.org | | -whois --whois <domain> Perform a WHOIS lookup on a domain | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | -helpdoc --helpdoc Extended Help Documentation with Examples | | | '--------------------------------------------------------------------------' .--------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Configurable Environment Variables | |--------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | SCRIPT_MAX_BYTES Maximum bytes allowed per request (default: 100,000) | | SCRIPT_EDITOR Editor used for -e / --edit (default: xed) | | FIXED_WRAP_WIDTH Set terminal wrap width (default: 80) | | SCRIPT_NAME Rename the script (default: "textnet") | | | | To change these defaults, simply edit the script and update the values. | | | '--------------------------------------------------------------------------' .--------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Configurable Hard-Coded Defaults | |--------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | dict:// protocol: You can change the default host or dictionary used by | | the -d (--define) flag by editing the script directly. Look for: | | | | "def define_word(word, host='dict.org'" and follow the comment there. | | | '--------------------------------------------------------------------------' .--------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Installation | |--------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | * install: | | chmod +x textnet | | sudo install textnet /usr/local/bin | | | | * uninstall: | | sudo rm /usr/local/bin/textnet | | | '--------------------------------------------------------------------------' .--------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Compatibility | |--------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | This script is primarily developed for Linux. | | | | All features are fully compatible with macOS. | | | | Nearly all features should work on Windows, though the script was not | | specifically written for that platform. Windows support is best-effort | | as I am unable to test on that system. | | | | For Windows users, there is currently only one known limitation: | | | | --wrap (relies on the Linux 'fold' command and is not supported) | | | | All other features are fully supported on Windows. | | | '--------------------------------------------------------------------------' .--------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Changelog | |--------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | Version 1.1 (Jul 8, 2025) | | - Added synonym flags (-s and --synonym) | | | | Version 1.0 (Jul 7, 2025) | | - Initial public release | | | '--------------------------------------------------------------------------' .--------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Credits | |--------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | textnet was created and is maintained by: | | https://640kb.neocities.org | | | | Copyright (c) 2025 https://640kb.neocities.org | | | '--------------------------------------------------------------------------' .--------------------------------------------------------------------------. | License | |--------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | textnet is licensed under the Blue Oak Model License 1.0.0 | | | | https://blueoakcouncil.org/license/1.0.0 | | | | Run `textnet --license` to view the full license. | | | '--------------------------------------------------------------------------' .--------------------------------------------------------------------------. | T E X T N E T B Y E X A M P L E | '--------------------------------------------------------------------------' .--------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Finger Client: General Usage | |--------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | textnet @happynetbox.com | | textnet user@happynetbox.com | | | | Basic finger usage, similar to most clients. | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | textnet fingerverse@happynetbox.com | less | | | | Useful for reading long .plan files, like the 'fingerverse'. | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | textnet -w username@plan.cat | | | | Uses the -w (--wrap) flag to ensure line breaks occur at word boundaries.| | The default width is 80 columns but can be changed via an environment | | variable. | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | textnet @plan.cat | head -n 20 | | | | Some servers return large user lists. The 'head -n 20' command limits | | the output to the first 20 lines. | | | '--------------------------------------------------------------------------' .--------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Smart Word Wrap | |--------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | textnet -w user@plan.cat | | textnet --wrap user@happynetbox.com | | | | Some finger responses may exceed your terminal width, causing lines to | | wrap awkwardly and split words. | | | | The --wrap option enables smart word-wrapping and allows you to set the | | terminal width where wrapping should occur. | | | | The default width is 80 columns but can be changed by setting the | | FIXED_WRAP_WIDTH environment variable. | | | '--------------------------------------------------------------------------' .--------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Text to HTML Rendering | |--------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | textnet -r user@plan.cat > output.html | | textnet --render user@plan.cat > output.html | | | | This option converts the response to a simple HTML file. It adds | | <html><pre> at the top, makes URLs clickable, and ends the file with | | </pre></html>. | | | | The core purpose of this feature is to make links clickable. Text | | formatting is otherwise left unchanged. | | | | Supported link protocols: | | | | http:// https:// finger:// gemini:// spartan:// gopher:// | | | '--------------------------------------------------------------------------' .--------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Word Lookup via the Dictionary Protocol | |--------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | textnet -d <word> | | textnet --define <word> | | | | Looks up the word using dict.org and the WordNet (wn) dictionary. | | | | Both the server (dict.org) and the dictionary (wn) can be changed by | | editing the script. Search for: | | | | def define_word(word, host='dict.org', timeout=5): | | | '--------------------------------------------------------------------------' .--------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Synonym Lookup via the Dictionary Protocol | |--------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | textnet -s <word> | | textnet --synonym <word> | | | | Queries dict.org using the Moby Thesaurus for synonyms of the word. | | | | Both the server (dict.org) and the dictionary (moby-thesaurus) can be | | changed by editing the script. Search for: | | | | def synonym_lookup(word, host='dict.org', timeout=5): | | | '--------------------------------------------------------------------------' .--------------------------------------------------------------------------. | whois: Domain and IP Lookup | |--------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | textnet -whois example.com | | textnet --whois 192.0.2.1 | | | | Performs WHOIS lookups on domains and IP addresses. | | | | WHOIS remains one of the few widely used text-based network protocols. | | | '--------------------------------------------------------------------------' .--------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Instantly Edit This Script | |--------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | textnet -e | | textnet --edit | | | | Use the -e or --edit flag alone; no additional parameters are needed. | | | | Opens this script in the default editor with sudo privileges (sudo for | | Linux & macOS only). This lets you quickly edit the script without having| | to locate it manually. | | | '--------------------------------------------------------------------------' .--------------------------------------------------------------------------. | Quote of the Day (server) | |--------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | textnet -q | | textnet --quote | | | | Use the -q or --quote flag alone; no additional parameters are needed. | | | | Queries one of the last remaining 'Quote of the Day' (QOTD) servers | | (RFC 865) for a random quote. | | | '--------------------------------------------------------------------------'