To: gopher@complete.org
Subject: [gopher] Re: About Gopher
References: <7F0C5954-559D-11D6-B291-0030654C9DF2@mac.com>
From: John Goerzen <jgoerzen@complete.org>
Date: 22 Apr 2002 13:47:49 -0500
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Clint Paden <clintpaden@mac.com> writes:

> I have subscribed to this list for a while now, and I have read about 
> many things I dont really know anything about. Anyway, my question is, 
> is there any resource I can read to learn about some of the basic 
> principles/rationale that went into the development of gopher code and 
> logic, and also about some of these more advanced gopher-specific 
> concepts and terms that are discussed by gopher developers. I would like 

A place to start as far as the protocol itself goes is the RFC.  You
can find it here:

gopher://gopher.quux.org:70/1/Software/Gopher/Standards%20and%20Specs

Select "The Gopher Protocol" from that menu.  This will show you the
original Gopher specification, and provide background about things
like item types and the like.

At the same menu, you can find the Gopher+ Extensions, which you
should read *after* the first document.  It describes extensions to
the base protocol to add more flexibility to Gopher.

You might also wish to browse the archives of this mailing list; the
most convenient interface for that it
http://www.complete.org/mailinglists/archives/. 

> the future. It would also be good if there is a comprehensive page on 
> how every bit of gopherd works, how to make a config file that works for 
> what you want (yes, man and the sample help some, but I want more detail 
> I guess), but maybe more what I am asking is about the other files

No such thing exists!  Gopherd has many features, many of which are
not documented.  (I am still discovering some <g>)

I would recommend that, as a new Gopher server administrator, you take
a look at Bucktooth and PyGopherd.  I have not set up Bucktooth, but I
do know that Pygopherd is pretty easy to get going.

The final thing: when you run into a specific problem or have a
specific question, ask here.  We will be glad to help.

-- John