plan file

2 definitions found

plan file - Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (26 May 2007) :

  plan file
  
     <operating system> On Unix systems that support finger,
     the ".plan" file in a user's home directory is displayed
     when the user is fingered.  This feature was originally
     intended to be used to keep potential fingerers apprised of
     one's location and near-future plans, but has been turned
     almost universally to humorous and self-expressive purposes
     (like a sig block).  See also Hacking X for Y.
  
     A later innovation in plan files was the introduction of
     "scrolling plan files" which are one-dimensional animations
     made using only the printable ASCII character set, carriage return
      and line feed, avoiding terminal specific escape sequences
     , since the finger command will (for security
     reasons; see letterbomb) not pass the escape character.
  
     Scrolling .plan files have become art forms in miniature, and
     some sites have started competitions to find who can create
     the longest running, funniest, and most original animations.
     A compiler (ASP) is available on Usenet for producing them.
     Typical animation components include:
  
      Centipede:		 mmmmme
      Lorry/Truck:		 oo-oP
      Andalusian Video Snail: _@/
  
     In the mid-1990s WWW home pages largely supplanted .plan
     files, providing a much richer forum for the publication of
     personal minutiae and digital creativity.
  
     See also twirling baton.
  
     [Jargon File]
  
     (1998-01-16)
  

plan file - Jargon File (4.4.4, 14 Aug 2003) :

  plan file
   n.
  
     [Unix] On systems that support finger, the .plan file in a user's
     home directory is displayed when the user is fingered. This feature
     was originally intended to be used to keep potential fingerers
     apprised of one's location and near-future plans, but has been turned
     almost universally to humorous and self-expressive purposes (like a
     sig block). See also Hacking X for Y.
  
     A recent innovation in plan files has been the introduction of
     "scrolling plan files" which are one-dimensional animations made
  using
     only the printable ASCII character set, carriage return and line
  feed,
     avoiding terminal specific escape sequences, since the finger
     command will (for security reasons; see letterbomb) not pass the
     escape character.
  
     Scrolling .plan files have become art forms in miniature, and some
     sites have started competitions to find who can create the longest
     running, funniest, and most original animations. Various animation
     characters include:
  
     Centipede:           mmmmme
     Lorry/Truck:         oo-oP
     Andalusian Video Snail: _@/
  
     and a compiler (ASP) is available on Usenet for producing them. See
     also twirling baton.