Presumably you're asking what the difference is between the "=" (assignment) operator and the "->" (dereference) operator. The first is used to assign a value (or values in the case of aggregate data-types), and the second is used to dereference a reference.
Conceptually, $telnet is to $t as John is to Fred. They're just different variables, represented by different names. They have no special meaning aside from whatever meaning the programmer who used them intended for them.
If you want to know what the programmer's intent was when she used those names, you'll probably have to read and understand the source code in a broader scope than just a variable name and operator here and there. If I say, "Be advised th", you wouldn't have any idea what I'm trying to advise you of any more than I know what your script does just by seeing two variable names.
Thank you a lot Dave..:)
I have just started learning perl and its my fault that i have started interpreting a sample program line by line...no doubt that leaves me with a lot of silly questions like this...I'll take care...Thanks again for your help...