Gopher is an internet protocol designed for distributing, searching, and retrieving documents over the Internet. Developed at the University of Minnesota in the early 1990s, Gopher was a precursor to the World Wide Web and offered a text-based, hierarchical, and user-friendly method to navigate online documents.
The Genesis and Evolution of Gopher
The Gopher protocol was conceived in 1991 by a team led by Mark P. McCahill at the University of Minnesota. Named after the university’s mascot, the “Golden Gopher”, the protocol was initially used to access internet resources on campus.
Gopher’s simplicity and ability to organize information hierarchically made it a popular choice among internet users before the advent of the graphical World Wide Web. However, the rise of the Web, especially after the introduction of the Mosaic web browser in 1993, significantly overshadowed Gopher due to the web’s ability to display graphics alongside text and its more appealing interface.
In-depth Exploration of Gopher
Gopher is based on a client-server architecture where Gopher clients connect to Gopher servers to request information. The information presented by Gopher is organized into a hierarchical structure, akin to a filesystem. When a user selects a Gopher link, the client sends a query to the server, which then returns the requested document or a directory of links if the link is a directory.
The protocol also supports keyword search, where a Gopher client can send a search string to a Gopher server, and the server returns all documents matching the search string. However, it’s worth noting that Gopher does not support more advanced features found in modern protocols, such as HTTPS, cookies, or interactive forms.
Inside the Gopher: Understanding its Working Mechanism
Gopher works on a client-server model where Gopher clients send requests to Gopher servers for information. The server responds by sending the requested text file or menu. Menus are simple text files with lines representing menu items. Each item comprises a human-readable name and a server address where the item can be found.
Gopher uses its own unique URL scheme. A Gopher URL starts with “gopher://” and includes the server’s address, the type of the resource, and the selector string. The selector string is the path to the resource on the server.
Distinguishing Features of Gopher
- Simplicity: Gopher’s design is straightforward, making it easy to create Gopher clients, servers, and documents.
- Hierarchical structure: Gopher presents information in a clear, hierarchical format, similar to a filesystem.
- Efficient network usage: Gopher uses less bandwidth than graphical protocols like HTTP, making it faster to browse on slow connections.
- Searchability: Gopher supports keyword searches on Gopher servers.
- Plain text-based: Gopher documents are mainly plain text, although the protocol can also distribute binary files.
Different Types of Gopher
In Gopher, different types of items are identified using a one-character code at the start of the item line. Some of the commonly used item types include:
| Type Code | Description |
|---|---|
| 0 | Text file: this item type represents a document or any other type of textual data. |
| 1 | Directory: this item type is a Gopher menu containing more items. |
| 7 | Search engine: this item type indicates a searchable index. |
| 9 | Binary file: this item type is used for non-textual data files, such as images, audio, or video. |
| i | Informational message: this item type is used for displaying informational text within Gopher menus. |
Gopher in Action: Uses, Challenges, and Solutions
Despite being less popular than the Web, Gopher still has a dedicated user base, primarily within the retro-computing and tech enthusiast communities. Gopher is used to distribute text-based documents and files and to create easy-to-navigate menus of links.
However, Gopher faces some challenges. Modern web browsers do not support Gopher by default, and the protocol lacks advanced features like encryption and cookies. Nonetheless, dedicated Gopher clients and proxy services can be used to access Gopher sites, and efforts are being made to modernize the protocol while preserving its simplicity.
Comparison with Similar Protocols
| Feature | Gopher | HTTP (Web) | FTP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Encryption | No | Yes | Yes |
| Cookies | No | Yes | No |
| Searchability | Yes | Yes | No |
| Hierarchical structure | Yes | No | Yes |
Gopher’s Future: What’s in Store?
While Gopher may seem like a relic of the past, there’s ongoing interest in using and developing the protocol, primarily driven by its simplicity and efficiency. Developers are working on projects to modernize Gopher, like adding support for encryption, and there’s an ongoing effort to create a Gopher equivalent of the modern Web, known as “Gopherspace.”
The Role of Proxy Servers with Gopher
Given that modern browsers do not support the Gopher protocol by default, proxy servers play an essential role in accessing Gopher sites. A Gopher-to-HTTP proxy allows users to access Gopher content using a standard web browser. The proxy server fetches the requested Gopher content and converts it into HTTP content that the browser can display. This provides a bridge between the modern web and Gopher, allowing users to explore the unique, text-focused world of Gopherspace.
Related Links
- The Overbite Project: An initiative to bring Gopher back to Firefox and Chrome.
- Floodgap Public Gopher Proxy: A public Gopher-to-HTTP proxy.
- The Gopher Protocol: The original Gopher protocol specification.
- SDF Public Access Unix System: A well-known Gopher site.
- The Gopher Lawn: A curated list of active Gopher sites.
