As you can see the Apache httpclient 3.x had an amazing method that you could use to reduce the amount of unnecessary connections and data that is send around between client and server:
client.getParams().setAuthenticationPreemptive(true);
http://hc.apache.org/httpclient-3.x/authentication.html#Preemptive_Authentication
What I want to know is, why did they remove it?
I know there are proper workarounds like using an interceptor or modifying the header, but I am wondering about the reasons behind that change: stability, performance, security, conformity? ...