This document is concerned with IP network connections, but not with simple modem connections. Interactive connections versus file transfer connections You can make either an interactive connection or a file transfer connection. An interactive connection allows you to speak to the operating system of the remote computer and run application on that computer. If you want to edit a file, compile or run a program on a remote computer you need an interactive connection. On the other hand, file transfer connections allow only to list the files on the remote computer and transfer them in either direction.
Interactive connections use software such as telnet while file transfers use software such as ftp.
However, sometimes you will be able to open multiple text terminal connections to the same machine which will give you the convenience of having several windows which display text. In some situations IP addresses turn out to be more reliable that addresses. Telnet is a standard program which allows to open interactive connections. Telnet will give you a single text-oriented terminal window in which you can issue commands to a remote computer. You can edit a program in one telnet window and run it in another.