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fortune:tldr:67068
The "fortune" command is often used in Unix-like operating systems to display a random quote or a witty message. It is primarily found in the form of a dedicated program, which reads from a collection of text files known as "fortune files" or a pre-installed fortune database.
When you execute the "fortune" command in the terminal, it selects a random quote or phrase from its database and prints it on the screen. These messages can be humorous, insightful, or thought-provoking. The content of the quotes can vary widely, covering a wide range of topics such as quotes from famous figures, jokes, historical facts, or even inspired nonsense.
The purpose of the "fortune" command is to provide a brief moment of diversion or entertainment, often used as a way to lighten the mood or inject some randomness into the command-line interface. It can also be used in scripts and programming to display random messages or to add an element of surprise.