Man pages › Compared with Linux and the BSDs

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

On Solnix, tip is the illumos tip at /usr/bin/tip. Its argument is a hostname, phone number or /dev path, and -v echoes .tiprc commands. It has no -n, whereas FreeBSD -n and NetBSD cu -n disable the tilde escapes.

The manual pages

Solnix: tip(1) from pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man · illumos.org
FreeBSD: tip(1) 15.1-RELEASE
NetBSD: tip(1) 11.0

What Solnix runs

A default Solnix system runs the illumos tip at /usr/bin/tip, published in pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man. No other variants are shipped. The page describes tip as run setuid uucp, and uses the uucp(1C) locking protocol.

Differences

Compared with	Topic	What differs
FreeBSD, NetBSD	`-v` meaning	Solnix tip `-v` displays the commands read from ~/.tiprc as they run. FreeBSD and NetBSD describe `-v` only as 'Set verbose mode'; their text here does not mention .tiprc. Source: Solnix tip(1) OPTIONS -v; FreeBSD tip(1) -v; NetBSD tip(1) -v
FreeBSD	`-n` (disable tilde escapes)	FreeBSD tip `-n` disables the tilde escapes. The Solnix SYNOPSIS and OPTIONS list only `-v`, so there is no documented way to turn escapes off from the command line. Source: FreeBSD tip(1) SYNOPSIS, -n; Solnix tip(1) SYNOPSIS, OPTIONS
NetBSD	cu and extra options	The NetBSD page covers both tip and cu. Options such as `-l`, `-s`, `-a`, `-c`, `-e`, `-o`, `-P`, `-F` and `-n` are listed for cu only, and tip takes just `-v`. The Solnix page documents only tip, with `-v`. Source: NetBSD tip(1) SYNOPSIS, 'options are available for cu'; Solnix tip(1) SYNOPSIS
FreeBSD, NetBSD	argument forms and speed	Solnix takes hostname, phone-number or device, and a device path starts with /. Without a speed it uses the tip0 entry. FreeBSD and NetBSD default system-name from HOST, or use 'tip' plus the speed, e.g. tip1200. Source: Solnix tip(1) SYNOPSIS, DESCRIPTION; FreeBSD tip(1) DESCRIPTION; NetBSD tip(1) DESCRIPTION
FreeBSD, NetBSD	device paths and privileges	Solnix opens a device given on the command line with the invoking user's privileges, not tip's usual setuid uucp ones, so the user needs read/write access. The FreeBSD and NetBSD pages in the bundle do not describe this. Source: Solnix tip(1) DESCRIPTION (device); FreeBSD tip(1); NetBSD tip(1)
FreeBSD	REMOTE variable	Solnix REMOTE selects a personal description file. FreeBSD treats REMOTE as a system description if it does not start with '/', and as a remote(5) database path if it does. FreeBSD then falls back to `/etc/remote.` Source: Solnix tip(1) Remote Host Description; FreeBSD tip(1) search order 1-3
FreeBSD, NetBSD	phone number file	Solnix keeps phone numbers in a separate file, `/etc/phones`, or the file named by PHONES. It can be readable only by the user. The FreeBSD and NetBSD text in the bundle does not mention this file or PHONES. Source: Solnix tip(1) Remote Host Description; FreeBSD tip(1); NetBSD tip(1)
FreeBSD, NetBSD	remote command strings for ~p and ~t	Solnix ~p runs 'cat > to' and ~t runs 'cat from; echo ^A' on the remote host. FreeBSD ~p wraps the transfer in 'stty `-echo`' and 'stty echo'. NetBSD ~p and ~t quote the file names. Source: Solnix tip(1) ~p, ~t; FreeBSD tip(1) ~p, ~t; NetBSD tip(1) ~p, ~t
FreeBSD	~v escape	FreeBSD has a ~v escape that lists all variables and their values. The Solnix escape list has no ~v. Solnix ~s sets a variable. Source: FreeBSD tip(1) ~v; Solnix tip(1) Commands
NetBSD	~+ escape	NetBSD accepts ~+ as a synonym for ~C. The Solnix escape list has no ~+. Source: NetBSD tip(1) ~+; Solnix tip(1) Commands
FreeBSD, NetBSD	nested sessions	Solnix documents that when tip runs after rlogin to a remote host, ~. ends the rlogin and ~~. ends the tip session. The FreeBSD and NetBSD pages in the bundle do not say this. Source: Solnix tip(1) ~. note; FreeBSD tip(1) ~^D or ~.; NetBSD tip(1) ~^D or ~.
FreeBSD, NetBSD	supported dialers	Solnix names the Ventel MD-212+ and Hayes-compatible modems. FreeBSD enables ventel, hayes, courier, t3000 and vadic by default. NetBSD lists the DN-11, Racal-Vadic 831, DF02/DF03, Ventel 212+, Racal-Vadic 3451 and Bizcomp units. Source: Solnix tip(1) Auto-call Units; FreeBSD tip(1) support list; NetBSD tip(1) auto-call-units

Standards

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

Writing portable scripts

Use only 'tip -v' and a system name from /etc/remote in scripts. Solnix, FreeBSD and NetBSD all accept those. Solnix lacks -n and the other cu options.
Do not rely on HOST, REMOTE or PHONES behaviour being the same across systems. Check each page's description of the variable first.

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.