[ih] What does TELNET stand for?

[Vint Cerf]

thanks for finding that!!

v


On Sat, Aug 23, 2025 at 9:06 PM Jim Carpenter via Internet-history <
internet-history at elists.isoc.org> wrote:

> On Sat, Aug 23, 2025 at 9:49 AM Steve Crocker via Internet-history
> <internet-history at elists.isoc.org> wrote:
> > The first mention of "Telnet" in the RFC series is in RFC 97, A First Cut
> > at a Proposed Telnet Protocol, by John Melvin and Richard Watson.  They
> > were at SRI in Doug Engelbart's group, i.e.. the second node on the
> > Arpanet, and hence an intimate part of the Network Working Group.
>
> RFC 97 may be the first mention of the Telnet protocol. However RFC 15
> (C. Stephen Carr @ UTAH, 9/25/69) is the first mention of Telnet as a
> program. The introduction:
>
> | A set of network primitives has been defined (Network Working Group
> | Note 11) for inclusion in the monitor systems of the respective
> | HOSTS.  These primitives are at the level of system calls: SPOP's or
> | BRS's on the 940; UUO's on the PDP-10.  Presumably these UUO's are
> | accessible to all user programs when executing for users whose status
> | bits allow network access.
> |
> | In addition to user program access, a convenient means for direct
> | network access from the terminal is desirable.  A sub-system called
> | "Telnet" is proposed which is a shell program around the network
> | system primitives, allowing a teletype or similar terminal at a
> | remote host to function as a teletype at the serving host.
>
> RFCs before 15 just refer to a "teletype like connection".
>
> Jim
> --
> Internet-history mailing list
> Internet-history at elists.isoc.org
> https://elists.isoc.org/mailman/listinfo/internet-history
> -
> Unsubscribe:
> https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/9b6ef0621638436ab0a9b23cb0668b0b?The%20list%20to%20be%20unsubscribed%20from=Internet-history
>


-- 
Please send any postal/overnight deliveries to:
Vint Cerf
Google, LLC
1900 Reston Metro Plaza, 16th Floor
Reston, VA 20190
+1 (571) 213 1346


until further notice