What is the point of using a proxy?

[styley]

I thought the idea of a proxy was to be able to view certain sites that you otherwise couldn't so I was trying to view trailers for kung fu panda using proogly proxy but its coming up that the trailers are not available for viewing in my area. That's on the moviefone site. Can anyone put me right with this?

[Buenchico]

The effectiveness of using specific proxy servers depends upon which end of the the internet connection has had the block placed upon it.

For example, someone might be at work but wanting to access eBay. They know that they can't do so directly because their employer's IT department has added eBay to a list of blocked sites. To get round this, they can route their internet traffic via any proxy server, as long as that proxy isn't also on the employer's blocked list.

In that situation, the block is put on at the user's end of the system. However, when you access the Moviefone site, their server looks at your IP address and spots that you're in the UK. Because Moviefone doesn't have the overseas rights for the trailers you want to see, it will block your access. So, in this case, the block is put on at the remote end of the system. You can only access the trailers via a proxy based in the USA, which would fool Moviefone's server into thinking that the request was a domestic one. (I've no idea where the Proogly server is based, but it's probably somewhere like Russia. Proogly has no connection with Google). Further, you'd also have to find a proxy server, in the USA, that the Moviefone IT staff don't know about. (As soon as they spot that traffic is arriving via a proxy, they're legally obliged to block access from that server in order to prevent possible breaches of intellectual property rights).

Chris

[styley]

Thanks.

[ChuckFickens]

I looked, proolgy is US based it is hosted in Secaucus, New Jersey USA. so I reckon the moviefone staff know about that one and block it.

Most movie trailers you can view on youtube anyhow so you could just watch them there.

[Lie-in King]

Don't know if you've seen the ad for "Kung-Fu Panda" on the right-hand side of this screen?

I'm on dial-up, so it'd take too long checking to see if it's any good or not!

[ChuckFickens]

I haven't, but I use firefox and ad block plus which gets rid of all the ads,

Actually lie in king if you are on dial up I really would suggest you get firefox and ad block (both free) as it will speed up your browsing no end not having to download all the adverts

[Lie-in King]

Chuck - thanks for the tip, but I was told by a "friend of a friend" that my PC's spec wouldn't let me run Firefox (?) I took their word for it & haven't really thought about it since!

I am now thinking about not having to see all those stupid ads wherever I go - especially the animated ones...