Another good reason for telnet

[DCT Jared Smith]

<rant>

Just came across a perfectly good use for telnet:

http://www.my-opensource.org/lists/myoss/2000-02/msg00147.html

>Web servers have to send back a "redirect" response to inform your browser 
>that the correct url has the slash "/" at the end.  On receiving that, 
>your browser will then request for the correct url with the trailing 
>slash.  (You can check this by telnetting to port 80 on the web server, 
>send the request GET /download, and you can then see the redirect response 
>from the server.)

You can also use Telnet to spoof e-mail by telnetting to the mail port of a server,
(port 25) and knowing the HELO protocol. Telnet is the most beautiful hole in the
Internet, used properly. Telnet is to the Internet what Linux is to Operating Systems.

It could be argued that ALL transactions should be SSH, yet I for one am
delighted with the ability to interact directly with a port, without encryption
overhead... Sure, it means you have to handle the security issues responsibly,
however, how many people know how to telnet into port 25? Only geeks,
for the most part. 

Not all geeks are hackers, though all hackers are geeks. Some of us know
how (or are learning how) to telnet into port 25 responsibly.

I prefer the <option> for users to handle telnet responsibly </option>
than <mandate> for all security to be only in the hands of 
adminstrators. </mandate> This option decentralizes the Internet, 
and keeps administrators on their toes. It also stimulates the economy. 
And walks the dog. And buys a Ben & Jerrys pint for the wife.

Frankly, if you follow my logic here, you'll see: Woe be the day that Bill 
Gates (rather, his heir) dispenses the only 'certified' encryption protocol 
on the 'Net. The best way to keep that from happening is to use Telnet
responsibly. No need to use it to login to shell, but within a stout, logged,
firewall even that should be possible.

Good Lord, we have to trust someone, somewhere.

All that aside, I love the SSH client "Putty.exe." Passionately. I particularly
like the way it resizes my PICO editor dynamically when I jump to
full-screen. And it auto-reformats an LS command, too. Nice not to have
to type two letters and an Enter key twice.

</rant>

-Jared