proxy purpose

hello can anyone tell me what is the purpose of proxy switch ? for e.g if i use any proxy program that can change my proxy so what can i do with it ? will my ip b same or change ? thanx in advance
Answer #1
In computer networks, a proxy server is a server (either a dedicated computer system or an application program) which handles the requests of its clients by forwarding requests to other remote ("real") servers.[1] A proxy server that passes all requests and replies unmodified is usually called a gateway or sometimes tunneling proxy.[2]
A client connects to the proxy server can request some service from the proxy server, such as a file, connection, web page, or other resource, available on a different server. The proxy server handles the requests by connecting to the specified server and requesting the service on behalf of the client; then the proxy server sends the response to the client.
A proxy server may optionally alter the client's request or the server's response, and sometimes it may serve the request without contacting the specified server. In this case, it would 'cache' the first request to the remote server, so it could save the information for later use, and make everything as fast as possible.
Proxy servers get their name because they act like a proxy (a stand-in) of the server computer.
A proxy server can be placed in the user's local computer or at various points between the user and the destination servers or the Internet.
Some proxy servers use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) to secure the connection between the client and the remote server.[3]
Continued:http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proxy_server
The reason one uses a proxy is so that their real IP won’t be displayed.
Answer #2
Thanx thepoint (member of the month ) , very useful info ,
Answer #3
You’re welcome. I’m pleased it helped you.