Telnet: I Got My Modem Working

With telnet, you hook your PC up to someone else's computer (sort of like the Venusian mindmerge). Example: If you want to read a library's online card catalogue, you can telnet to the library and read their card catalogue. In many cases you can pull up documents on your screen to read, print or download.

Obviously, this is a treasure trove for journalists, who won't have to trundle down to the library in search of arcane texts if they choose to telnet. Other uses for telent include logging onto bulletin board services and other online services.

Telnet software varies (Trumpet Winsock is one example) but telnetting is one of the easier procedures to master. Once you've installed the software, telnetting usually involves nothing more than pulling up a screen, inputting the name of the agency to which you wish to telnet and clicking on a few more commands.

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