XPost: alt.comp.os.windows-10, alt.comp.os.windows-11   
   From: mariond@facts.com   
      
   UPDATE:   
      
   It turns out, after I wrote and tested a few tutorials for using proxies   
   with & without PAC files, that Windows has a few built-in proxy mechanisms.   
    1. WinINET   
    2. WinHTTP   
    3. PAC (proxy auto config)   
      
   I'm indebted to Andy Burns for cluing me into PAC files a month ago   
   because WinINET and WinHTTP are global "all or nothing" proxy mechanisms,   
   whereas the PAC file mechanisms (proxy auto config) allow you to decide,   
   per request, per app (such as FF) whether to go direct or thru the proxy.   
      
   In addition, since a month ago when I knew nothing about proxies, I've   
   written tutorials on using proxifiers (such as ProxyBridge which Allan   
   Higdon kindly clued me into) which allow you to choose binaries to proxy.   
      
   Some apps (like Firefox) can load a PAC file directly. Others can use it if   
   you serve it via HTTP and point Windows¢ system proxy settings at it.   
      
   For serving the PAC file, I've written tutorials in the past month using   
   the free lightweight "mongoose" file server, launched with a vbs script.   
      
   I've also written tutorials in the past month on how to use the Tor &   
   Psiphon & Freegate free ad-free no-registration proxies for your use.   
      
   With these methods, we can fine tune which traffic is tunneled thru the   
   proxy, which stays local, and even chain multiple proxies if needed.   
    1. WinINET is used by user-facing apps like Internet Explorer,   
       Edge, Office, and anything that says "Use system proxy settings."   
       It applies a single proxy setting to those applications.   
      
    2. WinHTTP is used by background services, scripts, and some system   
       components. It has its own separate proxy configuration, and it   
       also is "all or nothing" just like WinINET is "all or nothing".   
      
    3. PAC (Proxy Auto-Config) is used by browsers like Firefox   
      (and optionally by WinINET if you point Windows to a PAC URL via   
      a lightweight web server such as I did with mongoose.exe).   
      A PAC file is a small JavaScript program that decides per request   
      whether to go direct, use a proxy, or choose between multiple proxies.   
      
   With a PAC file, we can tunnel most of our traffic through Psiphon or Tor   
   (or any SOCKS/HTTPS proxy) while letting sensitive or local sites bypass it   
   automatically. Instead of flipping proxy settings on and off, the PAC file   
   acts like a traffic cop, routing each request down the right road.   
      
   For example, I just wrote, tested, and posted today, moments ago, a   
   tutorial for setting up Firefox to use a PAC file for all its traffic.   
      
   Following this tutorial makes that tunnel about as iron-clad as I can make   
   it, where I have tested it every way I can think of to ensure it works.   
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