UNIX User's Guide > Using System Help
Use the man command to read the on-line manual for information about the commands that are available on the UNIX system. If you can't find the information you're looking for using the man command, use the feedback command to send a message to the UNIX systems staff.
Using the man Command
The man command is used to request information about any UNIX command (including the man command). Simply type man followed by the name of the command you want to learn about. If you don't know the name of the command but have an idea of what it does, use the -k option to specify keywords; man will then try to locate related commands for you.
For example, you would use the following command to view the manual page that describes the Elm mail program.
Nova> man elm
In the following example, the user has requested a list of all manual pages related to csh:
Nova> man -k csh
csh csh (1) - shell command interpreter with a C-like syntax
tcsh tcsh (1) - C shell with file name completion & command editing
Using the feedback Command
Use the feedback command to send a message to the UMUC systems staff. Type feedback at the prompt. You will be asked if you have reviewed the online FAQ page for the answers to your questions. If you respond N (no), you will be returned to the Unix prompt. If you respond Y (yes), you will be asked to enter a subject for your message. After you enter a subject, you will be placed in the Pico editor to compose your message. (For information on using Pico, see Text Editors elsewhere in this manual, or type man Pico at the system prompt.) Compose your message and save it (if you want to abort your feedback message, simply exit Pico without saving your changes). The systems staff will usually respond to your message within 24 hours.
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