ok, ok.  i ran.  i've dumped telnet-server, and empowered ssh,
with much fumbling.  i can now ssh from the desktop to the laptop
though not vice versa (the desktop still has the medium firewall
up and i don't know how to take it down, short of doing a
reinstall).

however, one step at a time.  i've looked all over the ssh man
pages and don't really see anything about file transfer.
how do i achieve rcp functionality?

tia,
dan

p.s. btw, thanks for all the help so far.
dan