.\" @(#)biff 40.3 89/09/18 SMI;
'\" macro stdmacro
.\" Copyright (c) 1988 Sun Microsystems, Inc. - All Rights Reserved.
.\"
.nr X
.if \nX=0 .ds x} biff 1 "BSD Compatibility Package" "\&"
.if \nX=1 .ds x} biff 1 "BSD Compatibility Package"
.if \nX=2 .ds x} biff 1 "" "\&"
.if \nX=3 .ds x} biff "" "" "\&"
.TH \*(x}
.SH NAME
\f4biff\f1 \- give notice of incoming mail messages
.SH SYNOPSIS
\f4/usr/ucb/biff\f1
[
\f4y | \f1n
]
.SH DESCRIPTION
\f4biff\f1
turns mail notification on or off for the terminal session.
With no arguments,
\f4biff\f1
displays the current notification status for the terminal.
.P
The
\f4y\f1
option allows mail notification for the terminal.
The
\f4n\f1
option disables notification for the terminal.
.P
If notification is allowed, the terminal rings the bell and
displays the header and the first few lines of each arriving mail
message.
\f4biff\f1
operates asynchronously.
For synchronized notices, use the
\f4MAIL\f1
variable of
\f4sh\f1(1)
or the
\f4mail\f1
variable of
\f4csh\f1(1).
.P
A
`\f4biff y\f1'
command can be included in your
\f4~/.login\f1
or
\f4~/.profile\f1
file for execution when you log in.
.SH FILES
.PD 0
.TP 20
\f4~/.login\f1
.TP
\f4~/.profile\f1
.PD
.SH SEE ALSO
\f4csh\fP(1),
\f4mail\fP(1),
\f4sh\fP(1)
in the \f2User's Reference Manual\f1.
