delorimier:/# cat /etc/passwd

root:x:0:0:root:/root:/bin/bash
daemon:x:1:1:daemon:/usr/sbin:/bin/sh
bin:x:2:2:bin:/bin:/bin/sh
sys:x:3:3:sys:/dev:/bin/sh
sync:x:4:100:sync:/bin:/bin/sync
games:x:5:100:games:/usr/games:/bin/sh
man:x:6:100:man:/var/cache/man:/bin/sh
lp:x:7:7:lp:/var/spool/lpd:/bin/sh
mail:x:8:8:mail:/var/spool/mail:/bin/sh
news:x:9:9:news:/var/spool/news:/bin/sh
uucp:x:10:10:uucp:/var/spool/uucp:/bin/sh
proxy:x:13:13:proxy:/bin:/bin/sh
majordom:x:30:31:Majordomo:/usr/lib/majordomo:/bin/sh
postgres:x:31:32:postgres:/var/lib/postgres:/bin/sh
www-data:x:33:33:www-data:/var/www:/bin/sh
backup:x:34:34:backup:/var/backups:/bin/sh
msql:x:36:36:Mini SQL Database Manager:/var/lib/msql:/bin/sh
operator:x:37:37:Operator:/var:/bin/sh
list:x:38:38:SmartList:/var/list:/bin/sh
irc:x:39:39:ircd:/var:/bin/sh
gnats:x:41:41:Gnats Bug-Reporting System (admin):/var/lib/gnats/gnats-db:/bin/sh
nobody:x:65534:65534:nobody:/home:/bin/sh
ftp:x:102:102::/home/ftp:/bin/false
mysql:x:100:103:MySQL Server:/var/lib/mysql:/bin/false
eth1:x:1000:1000:MindReaper,,,:/home/eth1:/bin/bash
mindreaper:x:1001:1001:Dave,,,15145746696:/home/mindreaper:/bin/bash

Usage: cat [OPTION] [FILE]...
Concatenate FILE(s), or standard input, to standard output.

  -A, --show-all           equivalent to -vET
  -b, --number-nonblank    number nonblank output lines
  -e                       equivalent to -vE
  -E, --show-ends          display $ at end of each line
  -n, --number             number all output lines
  -r, --reversible         use \ to make the output reversible, implies -v
  -s, --squeeze-blank      never more than one single blank line
  -t                       equivalent to -vT
  -T, --show-tabs          display TAB characters as ^I
  -u                       (ignored)
  -v, --show-nonprinting   use ^ and M- notation, except for LFD and TAB
      --help               display this help and exit
      --version            output version information and exit

With no FILE, or when FILE is -, read standard input.

Report bugs to .

You can also use this command with pipes.  Ie: delorimier:/# cat /etc/passwd | grep root