http://snipplr.com/view/1606/php--finger-php-simple-client/

http://www.phpro.org/examples/PHP-Finger-Client-Linux-Kernel.html

<?
/*** connect to port 79 ***/
//created a <UL>; list...

$fp = fsockopen('kernel.org', 79);

/*** get the info ***/
while( !feof($fp) ) {
    /*** get the text ***/
    $text = fgets($fp, 128);
    /*** make sure we have a valid line ***/
    if(trim($text) != '')
    {
        /*** add to the list ***/
        echo '<li>'. trim($text).'</li>';
    }
}
/*** close the file pointer ***/
fclose($fp);
?>