Telnet, FTP, Usenet News, and Chat

Telnet is a program that allows you to log into computers on the Internet and use online databases, library catalogs, chat services, and more. To Telnet to a computer, you must know its address. This can consist of words or numbers. Some services require you to connect to a specific port on the computer. In this case, type the port number after the Internet address.

Telnet is available on the World Wide Web. Probably the most common Web-based resources available through Telnet are library catalogs. A link to any Telnet resource looks like any other link, but it will launch a Telnet session to make the connection. A Telnet program must be installed on your local computer and configured to your Web browser in order to work.

FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol. This is both a program and the method used to transfer files between computers. Anonymous FTP is an option that allows users to transfer files from thousands of host computers on the Internet to their personal computer account. FT sites contain books, articles, software, games, images, sounds, multimedia, and others.

Usenet News is a global electronic bulletin board system in which millions of computer users exchange information on a vast range of topics. The major difference between Usenet News and e-mail discussion groups is the fact that Usenet messages are stored on central computers, and users must connect to these computers to read the messages posted to these groups. This is distinct from e-mail distribution, in which messages arrive in the electronic mailboxes of each list member. Usenet itself is a set of machines that exchanges messages or articles from Usenet discussion forums, called newsgroups. There are thousands of Usenet newsgroups in existence. While many are academic in nature, numerous newsgroups are organized around recreational topics.

Chat programs allow users on the Internet to communicate with each other by typing in real time. They are sometimes included as a feature of a Web site, where users can log into the “chat room” to exchange comments and information about the topics addressed on the site. Chat may take other, more wide-ranging forms. For example, America Online is well-known for sponsoring a number of topical chat rooms. Internet Relay Chat (IRC) is a service through which participants can communicate to each other on hundreds of channels. These channels are usually based on specific topics. While many topics are frivolous, substantive conversations are also taking place. A variation of chat is a phenomenon of instant messaging. With instant messaging, a user on the Web can contact another user currently logged in and type a conversation. Most famous is America Online’s Instant Messenger.

Vocabulary Notes

to log [lOg] — вносити до реєстру

port — отвір, гніздо

available [q'veIlqbl] — доступний, наявний

to launch [lLnC]— запускати, вмикати

to contain [kqn'teIn]— містити

image ['ImIG] — зображення

bulletin board ['bulItIn bLd]— дошка оголошень

distinct [dIs'tINkt]— чіткий

existence [Ig'zIstqns]— існування

academic — науковий, навчальний, академічний

recreational ["rekrI'eISqnl] topics — розважальні (вільні) теми

frivolous ['frIvqlqs]— легковажний, поверхневий, дріб’язковий

substantive ['sAbstqtIv]— реальний, дійсний

to be currently logged ['kArqntlI lOgd] — внесений до реєстру в поточному порядку