[api]

Speaking of web sockets and simplicity:

I never understood why web sockets aren't just a straight break out of HTTP(S) to a naked TCP or SSL socket. Why all the extra complexity? All it does is degrade performance and bloat software.

I hate the way protocols are designed by committee, virtually guaranteeing that everything has layers upon layers of cruft that have never actually been needed by anyone for anything but must be implemented because it's in the spec.

[hackcasual]

For one you need some concept of same origin/CORS. Don't want web sockets to provide an easy DoS vector

[api]

That would be in the headers and prior to protocol breakout. I'm talking about after that. Why does web sockets have an extra layer of framing and other nonsense? Not to mention other "modes of operation." It's a socket. Give me a socket.

[toomim]

No kidding. It's just a new version of TCP, implemented on top of HTTP, which is implemented on top of TCP.

[lisivka]

Because of firewalls, proxies, and NAT.

[api]

You already have a TCP connection, so NAT and firewalls don't matter here. Proxies have to be web socket aware anyway.