Drew Adams wrote:
>     > Actually, I was thinking of this binary (I wrote the wrong 
>     URL before):
>     > ftp://alpha.gnu.org/gnu/auctex/. I tried 
>     http://alpha.gnu.org/gnu/auctex,
>     > but that just times out ("server unreachable"). Likewise for
>     > http://alpha.gnu.org/.
>     > 
>     > How can I get to this binary via http? Thx.
>     
>     I don't think you can: alpha.gnu.org doesn't have the http gateway.
>     Sorry.
> 
> That would explain it. Thanks for replying.
> 
> 

Of course, if you can find a proxy that doesn't mind you logging in via
http and itself requesting using the ftp protocol, you're quids in.

There's quite a long list of public proxies on e.g. proxyblind.org,
although you might want to check legality of using them. Fortunately, my
university allows virtually all ports (except bit torrent, unsurprisingly)

Rupert Swarbrick