NAME

       date - get and print a date
    

SYNOPSIS

       date [ -s ] [ -local ] [ -k ] option=value 
    

DESCRIPTION

       If no arguments are given, a date will be selected at ran-
       dom.  Providing an argument will restrict the search  pool
       of  dates.   Hopefully these arguments will not carry for-
       ward into the actual date.  Only the superuser can  select
       dates by name.

       The  -s  option registers you in the date database and (if
       not  local)  posts  your  vitals  to  alt.personals  (and,
       optionally, alt.sex.wanted).

       Using  the -k option selects a date, but does not make any
       further arrangments.

       Ranges  are  specified  with  parentheses  and   brackets:
       (18,25)  is  18  to 25 exclusive while [18,25] is 18 to 25
       inclusive.  An array of selections is  given  with  braces
       such  as {blonde, burunette, redhead}.  Multiple responses
       are separated with commans, sex=female,yes,please

       -blind To arrange a blind date.

       view [ must ]
              View prospective date's picture.  To locate a  pic-
              ture,  date  searches  several  picture  databases,
              including  FaceSaver  (uunet.uu.net)   alt.sec.pic-
              tures,  alt.binaries.pictures.erotica,  and several
              FTP gif archives.  You  must  have  access  to  the
              Internet for FTP to work.

              If  view=must  is set, and date is unable to find a
              picture, a request will be  automaticly  posted  to
              alt.binaries.pictures.d asking for one.

              Options to xv(1) may follow "view" or be put in the
              environment parameter XV

       The following options restrict the  search pool  to  those
       who have supplied the necessary information.

       dim range,range,range

       height range
              Synonyms  are also supported: midget, twerp, short,
              beanstalk, giant, basketball-player

       weight range
              Synonyms: toothpic, feather, wide-load, blimp

       age range
              Synonyms: juvenile,  underage,  thirty-nine,  over-
              the-hill, {mom, dad}, {grandma, grandpa}

       sex {male, female} [,{yes, no, maybe} ] [,opt=sex(6)
              options ]
              If sex=yes and you are registering, your vitals are
              posted to alt.sex.wanted in addition to alt.person-
              als.

       race {white, black, native-american, ...}
              Various slang terms are also supported.

       marriage {flirting, noway, maybe, once, twice, several }
              Seriousness and experience.

       kids {never, rightaway, oops, have, want}
              [, {one, two, three, four, bunch }]
              Domestic leanings.

       cooking {never, loveit, when_hungry }

       color  Synonym for race.

       religion {Atheist, Moslem, Lutheran, Catholic, ... }

       temper {mellow, quiet, hot-head}

       interests { lists of possible interestes }

       name lastname, firstname
              Specify name of your date.  Perfect for hitting  on
              Names can only be specified by super-user.



FILES

       $HOME/.daterc
              Optional  place  to  store  options,  for  frequent
              daters.

       $HOME/.datehist
              History of dates, to avoid duplication.

       $HOME/.persona
              Options describing yourself, if you haven't  regis-
              tered  in  the  database.  Note that the first time
              you use date and supply this information,  you  are
              registered in the blind-date database.


SEE ALSO

       man(1), woman(1), sex(6)

       RFC1036: Standard for exchange of USENET messages, M. Hor-
       ton and R. Adams.
       A Primer on how to work with the  USENET  community,  Chuq
       Von Rospach and Gene "net.god" Spafford.


DIAGNOSTICS

       Exit  status is 0 on success, 1 on complete failure to get
       a date.

       `You are not superuser: date not set' if you  try  to  use
       the name parameter but are not the super-user.

       `Vitals  posted  to  alt.personals [,alt.sex.wanted]' when
       you register globally.


AUTHOR

       Won't admit to it!