4.4BSD/usr/share/man/cat1/whois.0

WHOIS(1)                     BSD Reference Manual                     WHOIS(1)

NNAAMMEE
     wwhhooiiss - Internet user name directory service

SSYYNNOOPPSSIISS
     wwhhooiiss [--hh _h_o_s_t_n_a_m_e] _n_a_m_e _._._.

DDEESSCCRRIIPPTTIIOONN
     WWhhooiiss looks up records in the Network Information Center (NIC) database.

     The options are as follows:

     --hh      Use the specified host instead of the default NIC (nic.ddn.mil).

     The operands specified to wwhhooiiss are concatenated together (separated by
     white-space) and presented to the wwhhooiiss server.

     The default action, unless directed otherwise with a special _n_a_m_e, is to
     do a very broad search, looking for matches to _n_a_m_e in all types of
     records and most fields (name, nicknames, hostname, net address, etc.) in
     the database.  For more information as to what _n_a_m_e operands have special
     meaning, and how to guide the search, use the special name ``_h_e_l_p''.

SSEEEE AALLSSOO
     RFC 812: Nicname/Whois

HHIISSTTOORRYY
     The wwhhooiiss command appeared in 4.3BSD.

4.3 Berkeley Distribution        June 6, 1993                                1