> >Yes. For example, Interent Explorer just uses the underlying Win32
> >Internet APIs that all others applications could use as well. So each
> >Windows client machine contains the "stock" Interenet client software
> >everyone can code to. Notice that by using these APIs, many other issues
> >like security, encryption, etc. are taken care of as a side effect.
>> It does seem that there is significant value in being able to reuse APIs,
> and underlying system code that is made available because you are building
> on an existing protocol.
yes, indeed. That's the idea behind http-lite. Take out the cruft from
http that just gets in the way, and leave in the core protocol that's usable
by many applications.
Keith