From 420ceb49b53a8fa9d8ba8443e42e50cd7bd7cea9 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Philip Wittamore Date: Sun, 12 Jul 2026 11:08:50 +0200 Subject: update --- gopher/en/index.html | 121 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 121 insertions(+) create mode 100755 gopher/en/index.html (limited to 'gopher/en/index.html') diff --git a/gopher/en/index.html b/gopher/en/index.html new file mode 100755 index 0000000..2c3b5e2 --- /dev/null +++ b/gopher/en/index.html @@ -0,0 +1,121 @@ + + + + + + +Gopher + + +

What is Gopher?

+The Gopher protocol is a communication protocol designed for distributing, +searching, and retrieving documents in Internet Protocol networks. The +design of the Gopher protocol and user interface is menu-driven, and +presents an alternative to the World Wide Web for those who have become tired +of it, and where many parts of the world cannot even connect due to bloat. +

Why Gopher?

+Gopher is one of the smolnet +protocols that is having a regain of interest due to the +smothering of the world wide web by corporate interests, AI slop, and overcomplexity, +where your personal data makes them money and you are the product. +Gopher is a tried and trusted, simple, plain text solution that can serve text, +images, documents, videos, audio, streaming, etc. and can link to almost +any other protocol as long as your client, or browser, supports it. +

+Gopher has no javascript, cookies, css, or formatting tags to ruin your day, only content and +clearly defined links. It's simplicity is by design, and because of this, +it is the ideal trampoline towards other smolnet protocols, +like gemini:// or spartan://, and a host of others. +No, you are not condemmed to be eternally feeding from the trough of corporate interests, +there's a whole other universe out there. +

+ +

How does it work?

+Over 300 gopher servers exist today, and the number is increasing. Many of them are aggregators, +i.e. they allow people to run their own phlogs (gopher blogs) without any knowledge of programming +or need to run their own Gopher servers. +

+One can find poetry,blogs, novels, technical writings, politics, humour, etc. all in plain text and without +adverts, pop-ups, or any kind of graphical or commercial disturbance. Content is king on Gopher. +Also, gopher servers send no cookies, use javascript, or create user profiling. +

+If you are more technically inclined and would prefer to host your own gopher server, +it's quite simple, like the gopher protocol itself. A gopher server can be written +in a few lines of Bash script. More sophisticated servers like +gophernicus +allow for an up to date and secure solution and are readily available. +

+ +

How do I use it?

+A Gopher client, or browser is often a matter of personal taste, much like the world wide web of +old until a certain global corporation took over web browsing for their own benefit. +Gopher serves up plain text, so it's up to the client to render it nicely. +

+Lagrange is a popular graphical browser, +while Lynx in a terminal is a classic solution. +You might also like a modern multiprotocol client such as Chawan +that enables you to browse various smolnet protocols as well as the web without skipping a beat. +Whether you use Windows, Linux, MacOS, FreeBSD, or any other operating system, there's a solution for you. +

+There are also web proxies that allow someone with ony a web browser to visit gopher holes. However +they are a temporary solution, not a replacement for a dedicated Gopher client. +

+ +

Where do I go from here?

+Try it out! You might be surprised at the simplicity of the text only pages, but you'll +quickly appreciate the speed of access due to lack of bloat, and the ease of browsing. +Gopher only as good as it's content, it doesn't rely on fancy graphics to replace a lack of substance, +so don't hesitate to add your own writings! We are looking forward to reading them. +

+ +

Screenshots

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What is Gopher?

Why Gopher?

How does it work?

How do I use it?

Where do I go from here?

Screenshots

Links

Client software

Web browser extensions

Web proxies

Some random Gopher links