away

Lock terminal and set away message

$ away [message]

$ away [[-c|--mail]] [message]

$ away [[-C|--nomail]] [message]

$ away [[-t|--time]] [seconds] [message]

$ away [[-p|--persist]] [message]

$ away [[-P|--nopersist]] [message]

$ away [[-h|--help]]

$ away [[-v|--version]]

away [-clear] [message]

-clear
    Clears the 'away' status by removing the .away file from the user's home directory, indicating the user is no longer away.

message
    (Optional) A text string that will be used as the 'away' message. This message is typically written into the .away file and displayed by `finger`.

The `away` command, historically found on some Unix-like systems, was used to indicate a user's presence status, primarily for the `finger` utility. When a user was marked 'away,' `finger` would report this status, optionally displaying a custom message provided by the user. This was typically achieved by creating or manipulating a hidden file named .away in the user's home directory.

The existence of this file would signal the 'away' status, and its content (if any) would be displayed as the away message. Clearing the away status involved removing this .away file. While not commonly available as a standalone command on modern Linux distributions, the concept of an .away file persists in some `finger` implementations.

This `away` command is not a standard or widely available utility on most modern Linux distributions. Its functionality is largely superseded or managed indirectly (e.g., by manually creating/removing a ~/.away file, or through more advanced user presence systems). It was more common on older Unix and BSD systems and is primarily relevant in contexts where the `finger` daemon is still actively used for user status.

The `away` command typically creates or removes a hidden file named .away in the user's home directory. The mere presence of this file signifies an 'away' status. If the file contains text, that text is used as the 'away' message by utilities like `finger`.

In most modern Linux environments, the `away` command as a standalone utility is absent. If an 'away' status is desired for `finger`, users typically create or remove the ~/.away file manually using commands like touch ~/.away or rm ~/.away, potentially piping a message into it (e.g., echo 'On vacation' > ~/.away).

The `away` command concept emerged in earlier Unix environments, closely tied to the `finger` protocol and daemon. Its primary role was to allow users to self-report their availability, particularly useful in multi-user mainframe or workstation environments where direct communication might not always be immediate. It pre-dates modern instant messaging or presence services. The specific `away` utility has largely faded from common Linux installations, with its core functionality either becoming less relevant or being absorbed into more complex presence systems or handled by direct file manipulation.

finger(1), who(1), w(1)