See http://www.python.org/doc/1.5.2p2/lib/module-urllib.html The last chunk of the section on "urlopen" appears to be repeated twice: The urlopen() function works transparently with proxies... For example (the "%" is the command prompt): ... In a Macintosh environment, urlopen() will retrieve proxy information from Internet Config. The urlopen() function works transparently with proxies... For example (the "%" is the command prompt): ... In a Macintosh environment, urlopen() will retrieve proxy information from Internet Config. -- ?!ng