[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.