4.3BSD - /usr/man/cat1/whois.0

WHOIS(1)                                                              WHOIS(1)


NAME
       whois - DARPA Internet user name directory service

SYNOPSIS
       whois name

DESCRIPTION
       whois help
              Produces a helpful message similar to the following:

       Please  enter a name or a handle (‘‘ident"), such as ‘‘Smith" or ‘‘SRI-
       NIC".  Starting with a period forces a name-only search; starting  with
       exclamation point forces handle-only.  Examples:
            Smith               [looks for name or handle SMITH    ]
            !SRI-NIC            [looks for handle SRI-NIC only     ]
            .Smith, John        [looks for name JOHN SMITH only    ]
       Adding ‘‘..." to the argument will match anything from that point, e.g.
       ‘‘ZU..." will match ZUL, ZUM, etc.

       To have the ENTIRE membership list of a group or organization,  if  you
       are asking about a group or org, shown with the record, use an asterisk
       character ‘*’ directly preceding  the  given  argument.   [CAUTION:  If
       there  are  a  lot  of members this will take a long time!]  You may of
       course use exclamation point and asterisk, or  a  period  and  asterisk
       together.

SEE ALSO
       RFC 812:  Nicname/Whois


4.3 Berkeley Distribution        June 6, 1985                         WHOIS(1)