sockets seem conceptually worse than streams, but streams was a total PITA to code to. once you got something set up, it was fine, but you had to assemble the stack with a bunch of control messages, and there was very little introspection. I can't imagine pushing streams as an everyday networking interface for people
The application need not have a LEGO blocks picture of networking. The networking stack can, but doesn't have to have a LEGO blocks picture of networking.
