Finger-Based Drink Client

This page describes how to use the drink system's finger-protocol-based client to access information regarding each of the drink machines and their users..
Most notably, the client allows users to quickly receive a slot listing for a specific machine, without logging in.

Each of the drink machines run a finger-protocol server. By using the 'finger' command with the appropriate information, the finger client will connect to the machine, send the specified target to the machine, and display the response.
For example, a user might issue the following command on their own machine: 'finger @drink.csh.rit.edu'.
That command will connect to drink.csh.rit.edu on TCP port 79, and send a zero-length string as the finger target to the machine. The machine will interpret that as a request for a basic listing, and will return the machine's slot printout and temperature readings.

To use the client, finger one of the targets on the machine you desire.
finger syntax is '[target]@[host]'
target - can be a username or a simple informational target.
host - the hostname of the machine whose finger server you wish to connect to. Also see the section Hostnames.
Note that the finger command is conventionally used to finger a user on a computer system.

The targets are:

• @machine
• temp@machine
• help@machine; info@machine
• [slot index]@machine; [slot name]@machine
• [user]@machine

• @machine - returns a basic listing of beverages:

  fury(~) > finger @drink
  
  [drink]
  
  Motd:      Welcome !
  Location:  NRH (North)
  
  SLOT   DRINK            COST  # LEFT    # SOLD
  -----------------------------------------------
   0      Yoohoo           50      6        314
   1      Cherry Coke      50      50       115
   2      Coke             50      21       191
   3      Dr. Pepper       50      50       206
   4      Barqs            40      6        5
   5      IBC Rootbeer     50      0        96
   6      Jolt             60      35       101
  -----------------------------------------------
  
  The power supply heatsink temp is 42.0
  Drink temperature is 42.0

• temp@machine - returns various temperature readings.

  fury(~) > finger temp@drink
  
  [drink]
  
  Motd:      Welcome !
  Location:  NRH (North)
  
  The power supply heatsink temp is 42.0
  Drink temperature is 42.0

• info@machine; help@machine - provides a simple help message.

  fury(~) > finger info@drink
  
  [drink]
  
  Motd:      Welcome !
  Location:  NRH (North)
  Welcome to the CSH drink server.
  
  Drink currently contains:
  Yoohoo, Cherry Coke, Coke, Dr. Pepper, Barqs, IBC Rootbeer & Jolt.
  
  For general stats finger @drink.csh.rit.edu,
  for stats on a specific slot finger
  [name]@drink.csh.rit.edu or by slot number
  [number]@drink.csh.rit.edu.

• [slot index]@machine; [slot name]@machine - Provides information about a single slot in the machine.
  [feature currently not available]
  
• [user]@machine - Provides information on a drink users account.

  fury(~) >finger antiduh@drink
  
  [drink]
  
  Motd:      Welcome !
  Location:  NRH (North)
  Drink info on antiduh.
  Balance: 290
  antiduh is an admin.

Current, there are two drink machines on CSH's floor. Big Drink (also known as just 'Drink') and Little Drink. Both machines each have two hostnames: Big drink has drink.csh.rit.edu and d.csh.rit.edu. Little drink has littledrink.csh.rit.edu and ld.csh.rit.edu

The smaller hostnames are provided for simplicity. They were provided because the machines are connected to commonly from CSH's own network, and thus just the machine name could be used to connect. 
For example:
fury(~) > finger @d