> > > Web clients should default to try to fetch URLs by a direct connection to > > > the target host. If the `http_proxy' variable is defined, it should > > > specify > > > an URL that would be used as a proxy. Programs should not try to access an > > > URL directly if this variable is defined. Programs that have the ability > > > to > > > do it should also respect the ftp_proxy variable, but not all ftp clients > > > are forced to fo that, since it needs handling of the HTTP protocol. > > > > Are these environment variables, settings in /etc/proxies or what? > > Interestingly, I was thinking about the same thing last week, but you > > beat me to it.... > > We should have an /etc/proxies or or something like that that all web clients > are required to honour unless http_proxy or no_proxy is set. It could be > simple, even be parsed by a common wrapper so the web client packagers could > just call that common wrapper to set http_proxy and no_proxy and then call the > regular client.
You have a cost in being non-standard, and I don't think it is worth it this time. What benefits would give us what you propose?
