Hello:

I'm trying to decide which is better for desktop applications under
Windows, libcurl or WinInet. I know about libcurl's portability,
maturity, flexibility, and speed. However, it seems that WinInet may
still be better for interactive desktop apps, because it automatically
handles proxy support. That is, WinInet uses the proxy settings defined
in the Internet Options control panel, and it can automatically prompt
the user for proxy authentication when required. Also, if the user is
behind a proxy that requires NTLM authentication, WinInet seems best
suited to handle that, since it's the official NTLM implementation on
the client side.

This issue reminds me of the trade-off between cross-platform GUI
widgets (e.g. Qt, Gecko, JFC/Swing) and native widgets; the former favor
consistency across platforms and freedom from platform quirks, while the
latter ensure consistency *with* the target platform and other apps that
run on it. With GUI widgets, the advantage of using native facilities
is not only aesthetic but also practical (e.g. accessibility for users
with disabilities, which I could discuss at length). Does the same kind
of trade-off hold for HTTP clients, especially in light of system-wide
proxy settings and a proprietary authentication method?

I don't want to be antagonistic toward libcurl, but I would appreciate
thoughts on this subject. Thanks.

-- 
Matt Campbell
Lead Programmer
Serotek Corporation
www.freedombox.info
"The Accessibility Anywhere People"