## SYNOPSIS

           mesg [ n ] [ y ]

## DESCRIPTION

           The  mesg  utility  is invoked by a users to control write
           access others have to the terminal device associated  with
           the  standard  error  output.  If write access is allowed,
           then programs such as talk(1)  and  write(1)  may  display
           messages on the terminal.

           Traditionally,  write  access is allowed by default.  How
           ever, as users become more conscious of  various  security
           risks, there is a trend to remove write access by default,
           at least for the primary login shell.  To make  sure  your
           ttys  are set the way you want them to be set, mesg should
           be executed in your login scripts.

           Options available:

           n      Disallows messages.

           y      Permits messages to be displayed.

           If no arguments are given, mesg displays the present  mes
           sage status to the standard error output.

           The mesg utility exits with one of the following values:

            0     Messages are allowed.

            1     Messages are not allowed.

           >1     An error has occurred.

## FILES

           /dev/[pt]ty[pq]?

## SEE ALSO

           biff(1), talk(1), write(1), wall(1), login(1), xterm(1)

## HISTORY

           A mesg command appeared in Version 6 AT&T UNIX.

    Linux 1.2                 10 March 1995                   MESG(1)