The Issue of Proxy Support
Some business and organizational environments still use proxy servers, even though firewalls can provide many of the same services.
The problem with proxy servers is that they're not transparent to TCP/IP interfaces, so we are forced to handle them at the network layer of REBOL.
We can divide the issues into these main areas:
- R2 vs R3 proxy support: R2 supports various proxy methods, R3 still needs to add support in its networking device.
- What proxy methods to support? R3 supports two basic methods: generic and socks. Should any others be supported?
- Auto-detection of proxy: Most non-technical users don't want to deal with proxy settings, so the question becomes how to manage that. Earlier versions of REBOL on Win32 would scan registry settings, but such methods are a moving target and need to be maintained. Also, what should be done on OS X, Linux, and other OSes?
- How to handle user settings? Proxy servers often require a username and password. What's the best way to handle those? It can get downright unfriendly if every reblet needs to request that information from the user. An automated approach is better.
So, there you go. I am posting this to the REBOL Community at large. If you want to see this happen for R2 and R3, you're going to need to help make it happen.
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