#!/bin/sh
#
# This is what I use regularly, because it makes it more convenient to
# access other NICs than the original whois client.

NIC=rs.internic.net
verbose=false

usage() {
    cat 1>&2 <<\EOF
usage: whois [ -h host ] identifier
Whois servers:
       InterNIC                               - rs.internic.net
 [-A]  American Registry for Internet Numbers - whois.arin.net
 [-R]  European IP Address Allocations        - whois.ripe.net
 [-a]  Asia Pacific IP Address Allocations    - whois.apnic.net
 [-M]  US Military                            - whois.nic.mil
 [-G]  US Government                          - whois.nic.gov
 [-g]  Germany                                - whois.nic.de
EOF
    exit 1
}

set -- `getopt h:ARaMGg "$@"`

while : ; do
    case "$1" in
	-A) NIC=whois.arin.net ;;
	-R) NIC=whois.ripe.net ;;
	-a) NIC=whois.apnic.net ;;
	-M) NIC=whois.nic.mil ;;
	-G) NIC=whois.nic.gov ;;
	-g) NIC=whois.nic.de ;;
	-h) NIC=$2 ; shift ;;
	--) shift ; break ;;
	-?) usage ;;
	-v*) verbose=true ; socketopts="$socketopts $1" ;;
	-*) socketopts="$socketopts $1" ;;
	*) break ;;
    esac
    shift
done

if [ $# != 1 ] ; then
    usage
fi

[ $verbose = true ] && echo Contacting $NIC...
echo $1 | socket $socketopts -c "$NIC" whois