Man pages › Compared with Linux and the BSDs

`pinky(1)` on Solnix vs Linux and the BSDs

pinky is GNU coreutils' lightweight finger. It is not in the Solnix base system: install pkgs.solnix.coreutils. The option set is identical to Linux's pinky; the one documented difference is the utmp file it reads.

The manual pages

Solnix: pinky(1) from pkgs.solnix.coreutils
Linux: pinky(1) coreutils-full-9.11

What Solnix runs

Not installed by default: add pkgs.solnix.coreutils. The Solnix page is the GNU coreutils 9.7 page (April 2025). The bundle lists no illumos variant and no BSD counterpart.

Differences

Compared with	Topic	What differs
Linux	same program	Solnix and Linux pinky are the same GNU coreutils program. Both pages list the same options (`-l`, `-b`, `-h`, `-p`, `-s`, `-f`, `-w`, `-i`, `-q`, `--lookup`, `--help`, `--version`) with the same descriptions. Source: Solnix pinky(1) DESCRIPTION; Linux pinky(1) DESCRIPTION
Linux	utmp file location	On Solnix, pinky reads `/var/adm/utmpx` for login records. On Linux, it reads `/var/run/utmp.` Scripts or tests that point at a utmp path need the Solnix path. Source: Solnix pinky(1) DESCRIPTION (last paragraph); Linux pinky(1) DESCRIPTION (last paragraph)
Linux	not in base system	Solnix does not put pinky on PATH by default. Install pkgs.solnix.coreutils to get it. A Linux script calling pinky fails on a default Solnix system until the package is added. Source: Solnix bundle header (command on PATH: none: install pkgs.solnix.coreutils)
FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD	no BSD counterpart	The bundle includes no pinky page for FreeBSD, OpenBSD or NetBSD, so the manuals give no basis for comparing behaviour there. Do not assume pinky exists on those systems. Source: Bundle header (only a Linux counterpart is listed)

Standards

POSIX: pinky is not a POSIX.1-2024 utility.

Writing portable scripts

Check that pinky exists (command -v pinky) before using it. It is a GNU coreutils extra and not in the Solnix base system.
Do not hard-code the utmp path: it is /var/adm/utmpx on Solnix and /var/run/utmp on Linux.

Every difference here is taken from the manual pages linked above: Solnix's published page, Linux (man-pages and the GNU and util-linux manuals), FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD. Each row names its source. Where a manual is silent, this page is too. Compiled 2026-10-26. Found a mistake? Mail hackers@lists.solnix.io.