How to add display a message in linux commandline upon logging in?

Question

There are certain messages which i wish to display to the personal who is doing putty to a linux shell. How do i like configure some kind of welcome message when people login to the linux shell?

Answer 1

Another possibility, depending on exactly what you want to do, is to use sysnews. This isn't a standard part of linux but is included with many distributions ("aptitude install sysnews" on debian).

This will let you have a directory of messages that you want people to see on login. When they log in they will be shown any that they haven't previously seen.

Answer 2

Message of the day, /etc/motd

i.e. edit the /etc/motd text file

Answer 3

Put some content in the file /etc/issue

Some more details in http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/blfs/view/svn/postlfs/logon.html

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crap /etc/motd was the file i was trying to remember. Upvoting his answer :)