httpSocket 1.7

Author: Dan Vanderkam Price: free Download: Realbasic café (Hotline)

  I'll admit, I have never been one to use sockets much. In fact, I use them as little as possible. It's hard enough to work small glitches out of protocol that I design, let alone bigger and more complex protocols such as Hotline and HTTP!

  Lucky for us, as REALbasic programmers, along comes httpSocket! Now, if anyone wants to code anything from simple file transfers to a full-fledged web browser, he or she can spend more time on the actual works of the program, instead of trying to decipher the cryptic HTTP protocol.

  httpSocket is extremely simple. There is one method to receive a html text file, and one method to download any file. It comes with a whole slew of events to help you add power to your program, whatever it may be. It transfers data from an HTTP server to you in whatever fashion you may need it. It is all very easy to use, and has some built-in methods for URL formatting, redirection, authentication, and headers to get you on your way towards making a browser to rival one forced onto the desktop of millions of unsuspecting customers (hint, hint Internet Explorer). [Jim's opinion of certain software companies do not neccesarily reflect those of this magazine –Ed.]

  Erm, maybe.  – Jim Rodovich