1MicrosoftWin32InternetFunctionsPurposeandBackgroundTheMicrosoft®Win32®InternetfunctionsprovideWin32-basedapplicationswitheasyaccesstocommonInternetprotocols
ThesefunctionsabstracttheInternet'sGopher,FTP(protocol),andHTTP(hypertexttransferprotocol)protocolsintoahigh-levelapplicationprogramminginterface(API)thatisfamiliartoindependentsoftwarevendors(ISVs)andsoftwaredevelopers,andthatprovidesafastandstraightforwardpathtomakingapplicationsInternet-aware
NoteInitially,theWin32InternetfunctionswillbeshippedasredistributablesindependentofoperatingsystemsthroughtheMicrosoftDeveloperNetwork(MSDN),CompuServe,andtheInternet
ISVscanredistributeWininet
dllwiththeirapplications,followingthemodelofWin32s®
Inthefuture,thefunctionsdescribedinthisdocumentationwillbefoldedintoallMicrosoftoperatingsyste