SYNOPSIS

       mesg [ n ] [ y ]

DESCRIPTION

       The  mesg  utility is invoked by a users to control write access others
       have to the terminal device associated with the standard error  output.
       If  write access is allowed, then programs such as talk(1) and write(1)
       may display messages on the terminal.

       Traditionally, write access is allowed by default.  However,  as  users
       become  more  conscious  of various security risks, there is a trend to
       remove write access by default, at least for the primary  login  shell.
       To  make  sure  your ttys are set the way you want them to be set, mesg
       should be executed in your login scripts.

       Options available:

       n      Disallows messages.

       y      Permits messages to be displayed.

       If no arguments are given, mesg displays the present message status  to
       the standard error output.

       The mesg utility exits with one of the following values:

        0     Messages are allowed.

        1     Messages are not allowed.

       >1     An error has occurred.

FILES

       /dev/[pt]ty[pq]?

SEE ALSO

       biff(1), talk(1), write(1), wall(1), login(1), xterm(1)

HISTORY

       A mesg command appeared in Version 6 AT&T UNIX.



Linux 1.2                        10 March 1995                         MESG(1)