Difference
between telnet and remote desktop
Telnet is an unencrypted
text-only connection to a remote computer's command shell. SSH or Secure
SHell is the encrypted cousin to Telnet and is quickly replacing it for
remote command shell access. Telnet/SSH are typically used for UNIX-based
systems and devices like routers and sometimes printers.
Remote Desktop is
an encrypted connection to a Windows machine that allows you to run the
full Windows interface remotely. It is literally like being logged in
to the remote computer. Your keystrokes and mouse movements are sent to
it, and it returns the appropriate graphics, sounds, even print jobs if
you do it right.
Other platforms have
slightly similar technologies, such as X-Windows and VNC.
The other cool thing
about Remote Desktop is a company (or ambitious individual) can set up
a single computer as what's called a Terminal Server and serve up remote
desktops to dozens or even hundreds of users at the same time. This greatly
simplifies life since they now essentially only have to maintain the applications
and such on one computer or farm of computers. Many retail point-of-sale
and call center environments work this way. All the 'end user' needs is
a very basic device that can make and display the RDP (Remote Desktop
Protocol) connection. Here, I use Linux-based ones that cost under $200
and require no maintenance. These are known as 'thin clients' and usually
have no moving parts at all. You can also convert otherwise-obsolete PC's
to thin clients.
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