Received: with ECARTIS (v1.0.0; list gopher); Wed, 18 Jun 2003 15:10:24 -0500 (CDT) Return-Path: <hardburn@runbox.com> X-Original-To: gopher@complete.org Delivered-To: gopher@complete.org Received: by gesundheit.complete.org (Postfix, from userid 108) id 4345518320BC; Wed, 18 Jun 2003 15:10:21 -0500 (CDT) X-Scanned-By: clamscan at complete.org Received: from aibo.runbox.com (cujo.runbox.com [193.71.199.138]) (using TLSv1 with cipher EDH-RSA-DES-CBC3-SHA (168/168 bits)) (Client did not present a certificate) by gesundheit.complete.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 9A0211832084 for <gopher@complete.org>; Wed, 18 Jun 2003 15:10:09 -0500 (CDT) Received: from [10.9.9.15] (helo=odie.runbox.com) by lufsen.runbox.com with esmtp (Exim 4.14) id 19SjDx-0005YR-8k for gopher@complete.org; Wed, 18 Jun 2003 22:08:05 +0200 Received: from mail by odie.runbox.com with local (Exim 4.14) id 19SjDj-0002dp-JT for gopher@complete.org; Wed, 18 Jun 2003 22:07:51 +0200 Content-type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-15 Content-Disposition: inline Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit MIME-Version: 1.0 From: "Timm Murray" <hardburn@runbox.com> To: gopher@complete.org Subject: [gopher] Re: Where are we going? Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2003 20:07:51 GMT X-Sender: 79977 X-Mailer: RMM Message-Id: <E19SjDj-0002dp-JT@odie.runbox.com> X-Sender: unknown X-archive-position: 765 X-ecartis-version: Ecartis v1.0.0 Sender: gopher-bounce@complete.org Errors-to: gopher-bounce@complete.org X-original-sender: hardburn@runbox.com Precedence: bulk Reply-to: gopher@complete.org List-help: <mailto:ecartis@complete.org?Subject=help> List-unsubscribe: <mailto:gopher-request@complete.org?Subject=unsubscribe> List-software: Ecartis version 1.0.0 List-Id: Gopher <gopher.complete.org> X-List-ID: Gopher <gopher.complete.org> List-subscribe: <mailto:gopher-request@complete.org?Subject=subscribe> List-owner: <mailto:jgoerzen@complete.org> List-post: <mailto:gopher@complete.org> List-archive: <http://www.complete.org/mailinglists/archives/> X-list: gopher

> All-- >=20 > I've been following this list for quite a while, having set up a > gopher server and tweaking on it as time permits. For me, it's a > window into a much simpler and efficient past. I remember searching > gopher sites in the late 80's, and actually finding useful info (as > opposed to the crap spewed out by most so-called search engines today).

Late 80's? That's quite the trick, since the protocol wasn't invented unti= l the=20 early 90's :)

>=20 > But the question that's been dogging me is: Where are we going with > this? Is the intent to simply keep alive a little piece of history > for nostalgic purposes? Are we lying-in-wait, much like the OpenNIC > project of which I'm a part, waiting to step in and save the day when > the weight of all the cruft holding up the DNS infrastructure > caves in on itself? We gopher step in to save the day when people > become so jaded with the eye candy that passes for the Internet cry > out for real information? <>

In my view, it's to augment HTTP, not replace it. The cynic in me says=20 that most people aren't going to become so "jaded with the eye candy"=20 that they'll give up the web entirely. Instead, the web will probably beco= me=20 nothing but Flash, animated flashing GIFs, and Java applets. If people lik= e that,=20 let them have it. I'll admit that there are a few games written with Flash= /Shockwave=20 and Java that I've enjoyed.

However, I'd like to see Gopher become a repository of good, solid informat= ion.=20=20 That's what I'm trying to do with my own Gopher site, which isn't completed= yet.=20=20 Basically, users submit documents via an HTTP upload form, which other user= s=20 can rate. The documents themselves are available through Gopher. On my=20 particular site, I'm aiming for particularly obscure technical documents (P= DP-11=20 programming manuals, schmatics for the Apple //e, etc.), but the process co= uld be=20 adapted anywhere.