Many computer systems display amessage of the day orwelcome message when a user first connects to them, logs in to them, or starts them. It is a way of sending a common message to all users, and may include information about system changes, system availability, and so on. More recently, systems have displayed personalized messages of the day.
On many time-sharing systems, the contents of the message of the day are fetched from a system file:
The contents of the special file are displayed after the user logs in successfully, typically before the loginshell is started.[6]
NewerUnix-like systems may generate the message dynamically when the host boots or a user logs in.[7]
Various server-basedPC games display messages of the day, includingHalf-Life,Call of Duty,Minecraft, andBattlefield. They may be personalized, encouraging users to try new features or make in-game purchases.[8]
SomeIRC servers also display a message of the day on login.[9]
