In Unix and Unix-like operating systems, is a utility used to send messages to another user by writing a message directly to another user's TTY.
History
The write command was included in the First Edition of the Research Unix operating system. A similar command appeared in Compatible Time-Sharing System.
Sample usage
The syntax for the write command is:
<syntaxhighlight lang="console">
$ write user [tty]
message
</syntaxhighlight>
The write session is terminated by sending EOF, which can be done by pressing Ctrl+D. The tty argument is only necessary when a user is logged into more than one terminal.
A conversation initiated between two users on the same machine:
<syntaxhighlight lang="console">
$ write root pts/7
Hello!
</syntaxhighlight>
Will show up to the user on that console as:
<syntaxhighlight lang="console">
Message from root@wiki on pts/8 at 11:19 ...
Hello!
</syntaxhighlight>
See also
- List of Unix commands
- talk (Unix)
- wall (Unix)