[gopher] Re: Fate of the Protocol (was Re: Gopherness)

["Jay Nemrow" <jnemrow@xxxxxxx>]

I can't imagine why a library would want to support a "fringe"
protocol when they can create a web app that everyone in the universe
can access with ease through a "richer" browser that they already
have.  I mean, go ahead and do it, but I would hate to put you in the
position of facing the wierd looks and total dismissal of all your
work because it doesn't look "cool" or "modern" enough.  Facts of
life?

Honestly, though I run a gopher server, I like the larger audience
that my web-ified side presents to the non-gophers.  This (Gopher) is
a hobby to me and I long ago let go of any thought that it had an
relevance for the average computer user.  One guy looked at one of my
gopher menus and said "You should take some classes in web design.  My
two-year-old could make a better web page."  Like trying to tell a
proud Hummer owner why a Model T is neat to drive.

On Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 1:26 PM, Matthew Holevinski <eylusion@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Wait I'm sorry, I hate to keep sending emails :)
> What about the electronic library movements? I figure that is something
> gopher could help with, veronica for indexing of books or what not, and then
> downloading the texts from gopher servers would be pretty slick in my book
> not that I like reading full texts from a computer screen as I don't suppose
> many do, but it seems to me that is a viable function gopher could serve.
>
> Matt
>
> On Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 2:24 PM, Matthew Holevinski <eylusion@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>> Jay, I am realistic on this topic, I really am, your right it'll never regain
>> a foothold, but while I'm still around I'll use it, if I can.
>>
>> Matt
>>
>> On Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 2:05 PM, Avery M. <averym@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>> On Tue, Aug 5, 2008 at 2:56 PM, Jay Nemrow <jnemrow@xxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>> I can't see your vision ever happening.  Gopher is essentially dead to
>>>> nearly everyone, if they even knew it ever lived.  Apparently, we just
>>>> never attended the funeral.
>>>
>>> This is overly pessimistic. I maintain a gopher because I like the
>>> undemanding nature of the protocol. Unlike HTTP, whose cognitive style
>>> rewards distraction and skimming, Gopher gives you a decidedly
>>> un-hyper text file and then it's done. I believe other people should
>>> maintain gophers as well, and to that end this list is useful.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>
>
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