I've used both pexpect and python's built-in telnetlib somewhat regularly to talk to "dumb" telnet devices. Depending on how complicated the data is, telnetlib might be good enough and will work ...

I want to use telnet://x.x.x.x links on some web pages, but I would like my Win2K to not launch them with Hyperterminal, which is the default telnet app, and instead launch them with the text-based ...