I have had a least one person ask if WHOIS could indicate command
completion (eg: 'Command complete") when it is finished.  The idea
was to allow a program (in this case a MAIL agent) to ask LISTSERV
who a userid was if searching through NAMES files failed.
 
Am not sure that this would be desireable in all cases, but am
forwarding the idea for consideration.
 
                                  Walter G. Horbert ([log in to unmask])
                                  University of Maine System
                                  Computing And Data Processing Services
                                  Orono, Maine  04469