howto use https in favour of http

[Olivier Nicole]

Alex,

> i'm not using a webserver or anything. i'm just a regular user. the point is:
> i often forget to specify https://... for that specific address in apps like
> lynx or firefox. that's why the non-ssl version of that site is being loaded.
> i'd like freebsd to take care of this so even if the app is trying to access
> the non-ssl version it should in fact be redirected to the ssl version by
> freebsd.

I think it is the responsibility of the person in charge of the server
to decide whether non-ssl connections are allowed or not; and to
redirect non-ssl connections to ssl ones when needed. That should
never be a burden for the client.

Now on your client side what you can do is:

- set-up a firewall to forbid non-ssl connections to certain web
  sites: if you try a non-ssl connection, it will be refused; easy
  enough to set-up, but frustrating when you see that your connection
  is refused;

- set-up a proxy/redirector to change your non-ssl connections to ssl
  one: certainly an heavier thing to set-up, but would work
  transparently;

Good luck,

Olivier