Thanks for the kind words. To use nc with HTTPS remember to set the -c flag, it's easy to overlook. I speak from experience.
I actually didn't even look closely at the HTTP protocol. There are numerous ways in which this can fail. That being said, for what it is, it's actually pretty neat. I have a follow-up piece coming up regarding some of the popular image sites. And maybe a few other ideas. And there's probably some potential just waiting to be unlocked when it comes to HTTP::Tiny. After all it supports cookies, redirects, POST requests and whatnot.
In the meantime how about some quick'n'dirty
gopher fun?
Using technique #2 to access a gopher server (commands in green, follow-up target in red)
Code:
$ printf "/fun/xkcd \r\n" | nc gopher.floodgap.com 70
1Floodgap Gopher Fun and Games /fun gopher.floodgap.com 70
i error.host 1
i 88 A Webcomic of Romance, 88 error.host 1
i 88 Sarcasm, Math & Language. 88 error.host 1
i 88 88 error.host 1
i8b, ,d8 88 ,d8 ,adPPYba, ,adPPYb,88 error.host 1
i `Y8, ,8P' 88 ,a8" a8" "" a8" `Y88 error.host 1
i )888( 8888[ 8b 8b 88 error.host 1
i ,d8" "8b, 88`"Yba, "8a, ,aa "8a, ,d88 error.host 1
i8P' `Y8 88 `Y8a `"Ybbd8"' `"8bbdP"Y8 error.host 1
i error.host 1
iCurrent comic: error.host 1
1xkcd - A Webcomic - Masks (2367) /fun/xkcd/comics/2360/2367 gopher.floodgap.com 70
i error.host 1
1Browse all xkcd comics /fun/xkcd/comics gopher.floodgap.com 70
i error.host 1
iWarning: this comic occasionally contains strong language (which error.host 1
imay be unsuitable for children), unusual humor (which may be error.host 1
iunsuitable for adults), and advanced mathematics (which may be error.host 1
iunsuitable for liberal-arts majors). error.host 1
iUpdates usually Monday/Wednesday/Friday. error.host 1
iSome older Gopher clients may not understand PNG itemtype. error.host 1
hAbout xkcd (WWW) URL:http://www.xkcd.com/about/ gopher.floodgap.com 70
i error.host 1
iComics reproduced from www.xkcd.com under license. error.host 1
hxkcd License (WWW) URL:http://www.xkcd.com/license.html gopher.floodgap.com 70
hxkcd Web Site (WWW) URL:http://www.xkcd.com/ gopher.floodgap.com 70
.
Now the subpage:
Code:
$ printf "/fun/xkcd/comics/2360/2367 \r\n" | nc gopher.floodgap.com 70
1xkcd - A Webcomic of Romance, Sarcasm, Math and Language. /fun/xkcd gopher.floodgap.com 70
1Floodgap Gopher Fun and Games /fun gopher.floodgap.com 70
i error.host 1
ixkcd - A Webcomic - Masks (2367) error.host 1
i error.host 1
iImage: error.host 1
pmasks.png /fun/xkcd/comics/2360/2367/masks.png gopher.floodgap.com 70
i error.host 1
iHaunted Halloween masks from a mysterious costume shop that turn error.host 1
iyou evil and grow into your skin score a surprisingly high 80% error.host 1
ifiltration efficiency in R. L. Stine-sponsored NIOSH tests. error.host 1
i error.host 1
iComics reproduced from www.xkcd.com under license. error.host 1
hxkcd License (WWW) URL:https://www.xkcd.com/license.html gopher.floodgap.com 70
hxkcd Web Site (WWW) URL:https://www.xkcd.com/ gopher.floodgap.com 70
i error.host 1
iPrevious: error.host 1
1xkcd - A Webcomic - Amelia's Farm Fresh Cookies (2366) /fun/xkcd/comics/2360/2366 gopher.floodgap.com 70
.
And retrieving the image:
Code:
printf "/fun/xkcd/comics/2360/2367/masks.png \r\n" | nc gopher.floodgap.com 70 > masks.png
To access the root directory just do a:
Code:
printf "/ \r\n" | nc gopher.floodgap.com 70
or
Code:
telnet gopher.floodgap.com 70
and hit Enter.