[gopher] Re: Mozilla bugs about Gopher, and a dangerous one

[Chris <chris@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Gee Aaron you said it with alot less words :)
Chris
P.S. thanks for your responses on bugzilla, they along with Jon's were very 
well put.


On Mon, 16 Apr 2007 19:56:35 -0500
"Aaron J. Angel" <thatoneguy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> JumpJet Mailbox wrote:
> > I am however wondering why the Port issue is such a hot spot?
> 
> The simple answer is you can't run multiple Gopher servers on the same
> port and IP address.  Additionally, there are other services with which
> Gopher clients can interact that do not run on port 70.  WHOIS and
> Finger come immediately to mind.
> 
> > Still, there are indeed several advantages to having software stick 
> > to specific Ports.
> 
> Agreed; which is why Mozilla can't finger or whois.
> 
> > Another advantage of having certain Protocals stick to a single (or 
> > at least a very limited range) of Ports is the ease of which a Client
> >  / Browser can detect a Server.  This is why there are millions of 
> > HTTP web pages operating on Port 80 (or Port 8080) rather than on 
> > Port "X".  Non-technical persons who surf the Web, typically don't 
> > want to be constantly appending Port numbers to the end of an IP 
> > address.
> 
> That's what links (or Gopher menus) are for.  The main content is
> available from the main port.  Port 8080 is used not because it is a
> "standard", but because it is easy to remember.  Users must always type
> these non-standard ports into the address field, or otherwise link to it
> from somewhere else.
> 
> > With only about 200 or so Internet Gopher Servers worldwide (and only
> >  about a dozen still actively updated), why is using Port 70 such a 
> > hardship??? Is it because of a imperative need to run Dual Protocol 
> > servers?
> 
> Multiple Gopher servers on the same host (there's no such thing as
> Gopher VHost); perhaps security constraints (many ISPs block specific
> ports) prevents the Gopher operator from assuming root priviledges, or
> simply doesn't want to.
> 
> > It is indeed unfortunate that many Browsers that understand 
> > Gopherspace can not recognize Gopher on a Port other than 70.  This 
> > is due primarily to lazyness on the part of the software programmer
> 
> With Mozilla (Firefox), it was actually the opposite.  The developers
> actively block Gopher requests to ports other than 70 or rewrite URLs
> without notifying the user.
> 
> > With such a limited selection of Clients / Browsers able to choose a 
> > Port other than 70, why not just stick with Port 70??
> 
> Sometimes its not a choice.
> 
> > Should a unique Server have to operate on a different Port, the
> > Server Administrator should just assume that his Server will be of
> > limited accessability as his patrons must INTENTIONALLY use one of
> > the very few Clients / Browsers that can operatate on a Port other
> > than 70
> 
> The server operator shouldn't care about the infrastructure of its
> clients' networks.  That's up to the client.  (-:
> 
> > So, in conclusion; Why is operating a Gopher Server on JUST Port 70 
> > such a burden?
> 
> See up.
> 
> -- 
> Aaron J. Angel.  You know, That One Guy!  <thatoneguy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Visit me on the web at http://www.aaronjangel.us/.
> 
> 
> 


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