Proxies

To say the truth this is a new word for me. I hadn't heard before. 
I wonder what does it mean and what does it have to do with technology?
Is it something that can harm you or protect you?
How can you use this? 
Does it affect your daily life? 
Do we already something or is it something we should get or avoid getting?

• A proxy or  or a proxy server is computer system or application that acts as an intermediary for requests from clients seeking resources from other servers.  Usually when a client connects to a proxy server he/she requests service,  a file, connection, web page, or other resource available from a different server and the proxy server evaluates the request as a way to simplify and control its complexity. Proxies facilitate world wide connection between internet users.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proxy_server

• There are three types of proxies. 

1. The proxy server: is who passes requests and responses unmodified is usually by the gate way or the tunneling proxy. 
2. The forward proxy: That is the Internet-facing proxy that is used to retrieve from a wide range of sources any where in the internet. 
3. The reverse proxy: That is another kind of  Internet-facing proxy used as a front-end to control and protect access to a server on a private network, and commonly performs tasks such as load-balancing, authentication, decryption or caching. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proxy_server

• Proxies are not always good. In some cases there are: Proxy abuse, Proxy Bullying, Proxy war, or Proxy murder. In some of this cases the person in the internet might get affected so it is better to be aware and prevent yourself. 

This is how proxies work 

Today I realized that when we are online there are other servers that connect us with the people we want to connect with or what we want to do in the internet. I think is funny how I had so many questions about what a proxy was and now I realize is something that is always in our daily lives and we don't realize it. Now every time I go on facebook I will feel like my conversations aren't so private any more. But I am glad I now what proxies are and how they affect us.