How to capture execution output using Shell()?

Howdy, I'm trying to capture the output of a command invoked with Shell(). For example, Shell("dir c:\", vbMinimizedNoFocus) or, more helpful, Shell("telnet baz", vbMinimizedNoFocus). I've attempted playing some redirection games with the local DOS command thinking I can work around some of the resulting limitations but no go. I'm trying to invoke a command on a *nix server and capture its output for further analysis/ investigation. I can invoke a dos command (ergo the "dir c:\" example) to accomplish my goal. TIA for suggestions and guidance.

with the StartInfo methods, than to use the VB.NET "Crutch" classes from the VisualBasic namespaces: Example (untested code, but you get the idea): Process process = new Process(); string FileName="telnet"; string Arguments = "baz"; process.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = false; process.StartInfo.RedirectStandardOutput = true; process.StartInfo.RedirectStandardError = true; process.StartInfo.CreateNoWindow = true; process.StartInfo.FileName = FileName; process.StartInfo.Arguments = Arguments; process.StartInfo.WorkingDirectory = WorkingDirectory; process.Start(); string output = process.StandardOutput.ReadToEnd(); VB.NET: Dim process As New Process() Dim FileName As String = "telnet" Dim Arguments As String = "baz" process.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = False process.StartInfo.RedirectStandardOutput = True process.StartInfo.RedirectStandardError = True process.StartInfo.CreateNoWindow = True process.StartInfo.FileName = FileName process.StartInfo.Arguments = Arguments process.StartInfo.WorkingDirectory = WorkingDirectory process.Start() Dim output As String = process.StandardOutput.ReadToEnd()