bluegospel, I don't quite care about your being unconventional, but you need to get basic things.

For example, the

question doesn't quite make sense to me - HTML format has nothing to do with both TCP/IP and with SSL.

My sensation is that you lack basic understanding of hierarchy of things in this world.

And regarding Perl - it has interface to practically the whole standard "C" library (read 'perldoc perlfunc'), i.e. from Perl you can do practically anything you can do from "C" - if we are not talking about speed, but just functionality.

True, I lack basic understanding, which is I why I'm here.

All I'm trying to learn as far as HTML, Perl/C and various protocols are concerned, is eventually being able to create SSL-secured information exchanges through forms on the Internet. Isn't that what SSL is for?

You do not need HTML at the moment.

Start reading basic books/article on OSes, CPUs, processes, programming.

In the mandatory car analogy HTML is more or less like upholstery inside your car.