Man page 5 : motd.tail

motd.tail - Template for building the system message of the day

On Debian systems, the system message of the day is rebuilt at each startup, in order to display an accurate information. /etc/motd.tail is the file to edit permanent changes to the message of the day.

The initiation script /etc/init.d/bootmisc.sh prepends a line containing information about the system to /etc/motd.tail and stores the resulting file in /var/run/motd. /etc/motd is a symbolic link to /var/run/motd. This is done to prevent changes to /etcas the system can not assume /etcto be writable. Changes to /etc/motdeffectively end up in a file under /var/run which will be regenerated upon reboot. A symbolic link to a different file, such as /etc/motd.staticdisables this behaviour.

• /etc/init.d/bootmisc.sh
      The initiation script which builds /var/run/motd
• /etc/motd
      Symbolic link to the system message of the day at /var/run/motd
• /etc/motd.tail
      Template for building the system message of the day
• /var/run/motd
      System message of the day file rebuilt at each computer start

R login (1),

R issue (5),

R motd (5).