I had to modify runtests.pl to use a different value for $HOSTPORT
since port 8999 is in use on my server (see
http://curl.haxx.se/mail/archive-2004-02/0084.html). It seems an easy
workaround that users can make...

But I think many of the tests verify that the server's reply contains
port 8999:
     Host: 127.0.0.1:8999
so they fail.

This isn't worth fixing, but it would be nice if

a) tests/runtests.pl always printed the ports its servers use
b) tests/README mention that the tests assume some fixed port numbers.

Here's a "patch" for b) to tests/README :-)

*** 10,24 ****
     perl (and a unix-style shell)
     diff (when a test fail, a diff is shown)
     stunnel (for HTTPS and FTPS tests)
- port 8999 available on localhost for HTTP tests
- port 8433 available on localhost for HTTPS tests
- port 8921 available on localhost for FTP tests
- port 8821 available on localhost for FTPS tests

- Note:
- The test suite runs simple FTP and HTTP servers on these ports to
which
- it makes requests.
-
   Run:
     'make test'. This invokes the 'runtests.pl' perl script. Edit the
top
     variables of that script in case you have some specific needs.

--
=S Page
P.S.  It's impressive that curl's authors wrote an HTTP server in the 
tests directory.  I will convert my company's site to use it -- who 
needs a 14-server Apache cluster? :-)