Received: with ECARTIS (v1.0.0; list gopher); Thu, 17 Jan 2008 14:15:59 -0600 (CST) Received: from smtp-vbr4.xs4all.nl ([194.109.24.24]) by glockenspiel.complete.org with esmtp (Exim 4.63) id 1JFb9X-0002j3-Iy for gopher@complete.org; Thu, 17 Jan 2008 14:15:59 -0600 Received: from xs2.xs4all.nl (xs2.xs4all.nl [194.109.21.3]) by smtp-vbr4.xs4all.nl (8.13.8/8.13.8) with ESMTP id m0HK0pKK008349 for <gopher@complete.org>; Thu, 17 Jan 2008 21:00:52 +0100 (CET) (envelope-from pjhv@xs4all.nl) Received: from xs2.xs4all.nl (pjhv@localhost [127.0.0.1]) by xs2.xs4all.nl (8.13.6/8.13.6) with ESMTP id m0HK0pHV051994 for <gopher@complete.org>; Thu, 17 Jan 2008 21:00:51 +0100 (CET) (envelope-from pjhv@xs4all.nl) Received: (from pjhv@localhost) by xs2.xs4all.nl (8.13.6/8.13.6/Submit) id m0HK0pfb051993 for gopher@complete.org; Thu, 17 Jan 2008 21:00:51 +0100 (CET) (envelope-from pjhv) Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2008 21:00:51 +0100 From: Pieter Verberne <pieterverberne@xs4all.nl> To: gopher@complete.org Subject: [gopher] Troff & ASCII for hypertext? Message-ID: <20080117200051.GA46268@xs4all.nl> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline User-Agent: Mutt/1.4.2.1i X-Virus-Scanned: by XS4ALL Virus Scanner X-Spam-Status: No (score 0.0): none X-Virus-Scanned: by Exiscan on glockenspiel.complete.org at Thu, 17 Jan 2008 14:15:59 -0600 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-archive-position: 1802 X-ecartis-version: Ecartis v1.0.0 Sender: gopher-bounce@complete.org Errors-to: gopher-bounce@complete.org X-original-sender: pieterverberne@xs4all.nl 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

Hi all,

I want to use nroff and ASCII as hypertext. Does anyone has done this before? It is just that I don't like HTML. It just feels bad. I think it would be really usefull to introduce a few new file formats.

I think computers can't recognize all URL's in plain text without making mistakes. (do they?) So we need a very simple file format wich is just basicly 'plain text' but does a few additions. These are the possibility to declaring something as a URL. It would be something like these:

URL('gopher://bla.host.com:2323/') MAILTO('bla@host.com')

Or possibly 'nroff-style'

.lnk # link gopher://bla.host.com:2323/ .mlt # mailto bla@host.com

We could also to something like this for images: (altough I'm not sure this is a good idea)

IMAGE('image.png')

(or nroff style)

Also, I would like to have hyperlinks in nroff files.

The only big problem now, is that no gopher (or http) client does understand my own thought file formats. And I don't know how to code, so no, I can't make the difference:-) But I'm just discussing my idea's. I know this is not going to happen.

Another thing: has anyone ever thought about a (hypertext) document distribution system via 9P. (from Plan 9) I have never used Plan 9/ 9P but I read something about it and I think it just could be suitable for such purpose. But we should have some menu like gopher has.

(Just something about me versus the WWW, (also thought-sharing) I think I don't like the WWW mosty because it doesn't distinguish contents from navigation. I really hate navigating with the mouse. Also, websites are often build as a work of art. Like a painting.. no, more like grafitty. It is just a mess. There is just no awareness of typography.)

Where is a up to date archive of this list?

Pieter Verberne