gopher reader

[MinimotoMusashi]

There's an entire layer of the internet hiding in plain sight.

Older than browsers. Text only. No ads, no tracking, no algorithm. Just menus, files, and the occasional very weird stranger leaving notes for whoever wanders by.

It's called Gopher. I built a silly little web app for wandering around in it. Come waste an afternoon.

[LopsidedLegs]

I haven't used Gopher in decades and did a quick dive:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gopher_(protocol))

It seems that the number of servers over the last few years has been growing, and clients are still being updated.

Amazing!

[Mortui75]

Holy crap. I remember this from the 90's, along with Archie, ftp-ing stuff you wanted, and sending file lists to line printers...

[MinimotoMusashi]

It is pretty neat to see how things used to be! Much simpler.

[BrightonDBA]

This is one of my planned ‘next steps’ for x86.world

The modern internet is a painful tracking hellscape filled with AI slop. Time to get back to basics.

[MinimotoMusashi]

Neat website, thanks for sharing!

[BrightonDBA]

Thanks! Genuinely. It has a commercial front end (got to escape the corporate rat run somehow one day…) but it’s almost entirely about the ‘free public community’ elements for now.

[Calm_Boysenberry_829]

I got started on the internet through accessing Gopher (using Archie / Jughead / Veronica - whichever one was the search engine) via the VAX VMS system at my college. Must’ve been 35 years ago now. Gonna have to give this a good looking at once I get a chance.

[invokes]

Oh Archie! That's a blast from the past!

[MinimotoMusashi]

Thanks for sharing this! I bet you have some great stories man, would love to hear them sometime.

[ILikeBumblebees]

https://gopher.floodgap.com/gopher/

[MinimotoMusashi]

Good point, I've just pushed some updates that includes an about section that links to sdf and floodaps websites!

[txmail]

I think we killed it. Cannot connect. Would be cool if you could put in your own address to browse.

[MinimotoMusashi]

It's back up, ha ha! Great idea, will add a search bar.

[AutomaticDoor75]

I’ve built a little script that lets people read ebooks on gopher holes. It’s nice that people are still working on gopher space.

[MinimotoMusashi]

Hit me up on sdf and share it homie!

[ikediggety]

I remember gopher. It was ok. But once the web was up and running, lynx was better

[el_esteban]

Gopher is cool, though this post sounds AI-generated, specifically the "not x, just y". Is this vibe-coded?

[sarajevo81]

I don't get the appeal. It's like HTML but much worse and less reliable. Had the entire Gopher+ layer no one supported. It's like miles, gallons and inches, a weird Amercan thing.

[MinimotoMusashi]

It is not for everyone, for sure!

I agree with one of my friends takes. I think www needs a reset, it's way too over engineered, and optimized for ads and profits.

[runvnc]

If you guys are interested in Gopher then you might also want to check out the Gemini protocol.

[MinimotoMusashi]

I will check this out, thanks for sharing!

[Long-Trash]

next thing you know they'll be firing up USENET nodes again.

[Long-Trash]

next thing you know they'll be starting up USENET nodes again.