The package allows one to compose general HTTP requests and provides convenient
functions to fetch URIs, get & post forms, etc. and process the results
returned by the Web server. This provides a great deal of control over the
HTTP/FTP/... connection and the form of the request while providing a
higher-level interface than is available just using R socket connections.
Additionally, the underlying implementation is robust and extensive, supporting
FTP/FTPS/TFTP (uploads and downloads), SSL/HTTPS, telnet, dict, ldap, and also
supports cookies, redirects, authentication, etc.
