[gopher] Re: Where are we going?

["Timm Murray" <hardburn@xxxxxxxxxx>]

> 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.