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Introduction
to Telnet
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Definition
- Telnet is a software tool that
enables you to access and use applications on remote computers in
(ASCII) text mode for such purposes as:
- E-mail
- Accessing library
catalogs
- Exploring Gopher
menus
- Executing other
applications
- Exploring
databases
- File editing
- Utilizing information
services
Telnet
software
- Telnet software is readily
available in freeware, shareware, and commercial
products.
- The best strategy for locating
such tools is to search for the word "telnet" on the major,
annotated freeware/shareware Web sites. Examples:
- Example packages:
- For the
Macintosh:
- NCSA
telnet
- The classic freeware
package. Basic. Reliable.
- Better
Telnet
- Freeware: An improved
version of NCSA Telnet
- For Windows-based
PCs:
- Tera
Term
- A good freeware package.
Reliable.
- Note:
- On Windows-based PCs you may
also need a program to "decompress" the telnet software. (On
Macs such software comes with the operating
system.)
- A good "decompression"
software package is the freeware WinZip.
- Be sure to download the
32-bit version of WinZip.
- The software is also available
on Tucows
and Download.com.
- Once you download
WinZip, click on the software. It will decompress
itself.
Using Telnet to
access bibliographic databases
- The online catalogs of many
libraries, bibliographic utilities, and some databases or database
utilities around the world are still frequently accessed through
telnet.
- The reasons include:
- The only way of accessing the
online catalog or other database.
- Faster access to and searching
of the database.
- More sophisticated search
capabilities in some cases.
Example
Telnet-accessible databases
- Libraries:
- University of California's
multi-campus MELVYL library catalog and database-access
system.
- Santa Clara County
Library
- Bibliographic
Utilities:
- Databases
-
optimized for Netscape & 800x600
display