The fortune computer program is traditionally distributed with Unix and Linux systems, but clients for other platforms exist as well. It displays a wide variety of quotes, "fortune cookies", and other humorous items. Often, users on text-mode terminals will place this command into either their .profile or .logout files to display them at logon and logout, respectively.
Most Unix systems use a roughly equivalent set of fortunes. The fortunes dispensed are slanted heavily towards the user base of Unix, and thus contain many obscure jokes about computer science and computer programming. Other sources include quotes from science fiction (Star Trek, The Cyberiad, Doctor Who, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, etc.), and the writings of Ambrose Bierce and Dave Barry.
The file format it uses is entries separated with a "%" character on its own line.
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Last updated: 05-09-2005 15:42:57
