The Internet's telnet service allows you to log in to any multiuser (e.g. Unix, VMS) computer on the Internet providing that its system administrator hasn't specifically barred this service, and providing that you know a username and password on the computer.
Once logged in, you can conduct a session using a text window and the computer's command-line interface (e.g. Unix Shell, VMS DCL).
Usage: Telnet is used extensively by system managers
to log into and
fiddle with machines scattered over a network under their control.
However, it is hardly ever used by newer Internet users who connect
to the Internet on their Mac or PC through an Internet Service Provider
who doesn't provide them an actual Unix account anywhere.