Gopher Server

[rick]

I'm thinking about installing a Gopher server on my site.
Resources are minimal and it's a valid medium for text based documents, but browser support is minimal.
There are some browser plugins such as Overbite as well as a few local clients.

In the past, I've done Veronica/Veronica2 searches (floodgap) of gopher servers similar to Archie searches of FTP,
but I'm not sure if there is enough interest in gopher (port 70) nowadays.

I might do it for nostalgia reasons, not an unusual act for someone who regularly hangs out on freenode (IRC) :hehe:.
Any gopher users here??

 

[rick]

OK,
So I installed and configured a gopher server (pygopherd) on my site.
It does support an http alternative if your browser or client doesn't support the gopher protocol.
(but there are many browsers, plugins and clients that support gopher: forg, overbite, lynx, etc...)

Gopher Access: gopher://rickdavis.org
Http Alternative: http://rickdavis.org:70

NOTE:
Text formatting is out of wack under the http alternative.
I tried to post URL links, but the link feature didn't like my "gopher://" address and tried to modify it,
so I put them up as text

 

[JLogan]

What exactly is gopher?

 

[rick]

What exactly is gopher?

Ouch!! :wall: Dude you're killing me x_x

To answer your question... It's a protocol
for short description click here

I had hoped there was more support for gopher, but it looks like I'm out there on my own island again :laugh:
I will continue to fight the good fight!

 

[xpl0iter]

So its basically another view for internet?
Anyway I have heard about it long back, but never actually tried or used one.
Is there any reasons for you to create this server other than nostalgic reasons?

And offtopic FYI, I tend to regularly hangout on irc.freenode.net, especially on channels like, #ubuntu, #ubuntu-offtopic, #python, #wordpress, #android-dev #php, #css etc!

 

[rick]

So its basically another view for internet?
Anyway I have heard about it long back, but never actually tried or used one.
Is there any reasons for you to create this server other than nostalgic reasons?

I initially created it for nostalgic reasons and the learning experience, but now believe it offers certain advantages.

• Very small amount of system resources needed
• Extremely fast delivery of content
• I've never seen add-on content such as advertisements, etc...
• A small dedicated and almost passionate community
• IMHO Ideally suited to deliver text based documents, manuals, specs, memos, laws, policies, etc...
• AND.... It's way cool

Gopher supported Item Types
0 - Item is a file
1 - Item is a directory
2 - Item is a CSO phone-book server
3 - Error
4 - Item is a BinHexed Macintosh file.
5 - Item is DOS binary archive of some sort. Client must read until the TCP connection closes.
6 - Item is a UNIX uuencoded file.
7 - Item is an Index-Search server.
8 - Item points to a text-based telnet session.
9 - Item is a binary file! Client must read until the TCP connection closes.
+ - Item is a redundant server
T - Item points to a text-based tn3270 session.
g - Item is a GIF format graphics file.
I - Item is some kind of image file. Client decides how to display.

And offtopic FYI, I tend to regularly hangout on irc.freenode.net, especially on channels like, #ubuntu, #ubuntu-offtopic, #python, #wordpress, #android-dev #php, #css etc!

Yeah I used to spend quite a bit of time on freenode #oggcastplanet,
and 2 other private locally installed/hosted IRC server channels, but not much anymore.

I am looking to get back into oggcasting via a mumble server in the near future, still undecided. :headphones:

 

[rick]

Some of you PHP guys might find this interesting...

There is Gopher support built-in to PHP.
PHP can parse a directory and or gophermap delivered via the gopher protocol. :wink:

The wheels are now turning, I might revisit this in a future PHP/Gopher project.

See link:
http://www.php.net/manual/en/book.net-gopher.php