Dot Files

Some of your most important dot files, and what they do, are

.login

this file is read by the computer when you first log in. It tends to have commands that would only be of importance at the very beginning of a session; defining terminal type and display characteristics.

.profile

for those using the ``Korn shell'' this file gives information about where to find things (``PATH''), aliases, and other information which is used inside each text window and by other programs.

.kshrc

further information related to the Korn shell may be put here.

.plan and .project

Here is where you can put information that other folks can see when they use the command ``finger''.

.pinerc or .mailrc

depending on whether you use pine or mail to do your email, this is where your email configuration information is kept.

.netscape

this is a subdirectory of your home directory. Information about your preferences, bookmarks, and cache are kept here.

.exrc or .emacs

Configuration information for vi and emacs are kept in these files.

.newsrc

the list of Net News groups you subscribe to are kept here

.Xdefaults

Here is where to put your default information for the X Window System

.xinitrc

This file describes the initial arrangement of windows (xterms, clocks, buttons, etc.) you get when you start X.

.fvwm2rc

Here you can configure the window manager (fvwm2), defining what is in the root menu, what color frames get put on windows, what the L1-L10 and F1-F10 keys do, etc. If you use another window manager then the configuration file is named accordingly; .mwmrc for mwm, .twmrc for twm, etc.