## State Of Gopher State Of Gopher by Christoph Lohmann <20h@r-36.net> ## Veronica Statistics gopher://gopher.floodgap.com/1/v2 2017: 133 gopher servers, 4.9 mio. unique selectors 2018: 260 gopher servers, 3.7 mio. unique selectors 2019: 320 gopher servers, 4.2 mio. unique selectors 2020: 395 gopher servers, 4.5 mio. unique selectors 2021: 361 gopher servers, 6.0 mio. unique selectors 2022: 325 gopher servers, 5.0 mio. unique selectors 2023: 319 gopher servers, 5.1 mio. unique selectors 2024: 312 gopher servers, 5.1 mio. unique selectors 2025: 432 gopher servers, 5.3 mio. unique selectors We are growing! More gopher servers than ever! ## Gopher Lawn Stats 2022: 180 links 2023: 242 links 2024: 259 links 2025: 270 links Growth is steady now. Thanks especially to pazz0 for keeping this up and running. He worked hard to inform people about offline gopher servers and got them to be back online. If you want to help: git://bitreich.org/gopher-lawn ## Major Gopher Support * ffmpeg (gophers) * mpv * everything using ffmpeg * curl (gophers) * everything using libcurl and allows gopher * PHP supports gopher! * more item menu support? 'I' * vlc (gophers) TODO * wget? (see hackathons) * what else? * Talk to maintainers enabling gophers in libcurl usage? ## Gopher Specialities Need a new ePaper ed(1) terminal? gopher://frstcomputer.com New versions available! Welcome to the Gopher home of FRST Computer. We are a small batch, artisan personal computer company -- designing and crafting beautiful and unique computers one batch at a time. Each machine is hand-assembled, crafted for computer users looking something new, (er, old) to excite the imagination again, while offering utility and a vision of minimalist computing zen that is refreshingly relevant in 2024. ## Gopher Old Computer Challenge https://occ25.deadnet.se/ Join the Old Computer Challenge! The majority of entries is still gopher! See the one by anthk: gopher://texto-plano.xyz/1/~anthk/occ Best emacs commands in town! Old triton computers getting to life again: gopher://booji.mutated.net/1/projects/occ/occ_25 ## Gopher Old Computer Challenge The content from last year's slide does not change: https://sizeof.cat/post/old-computer-challenge-2024-thoughts/ If you don’t know what the Old Computer Challenge is, or what was my setup for the OCC-2024, I suggest you read my intro article, I won’t repeat myself here. Instead, I’ll just leave you with some general thoughts and the notes written each day. Enjoy. * I disliked Gemini before, now I hate it. Gopher is the king. anthk summarized it on #bitreich-en: _anthk | a good thing on gopher vs gemini: backporting ssl for xp and 2000 it's a damn nightmare _anthk | gemini, built for 'older' devices my balls... ## Even AI knows about the value of Gopher 🌍 Benefits of Using the Gopher Protocol The Gopher protocol, though largely overshadowed by the World Wide Web, offers several advantages that can contribute to environmental sustainability and accessibility. Here’s a summary of its key benefits: ## Environment Impact 🌱 Environmental Impact * Reduced Data Transfer: Gopher is text-based and requiress. significantly less bandwidth compared to modern web protocols.s. This reduction in data transfer can lead to lower energys. consumption and, consequently, reduced CO2 emissions from datas. center ## Simplicity * Simplicity: The protocol's simplicity means that it can be hosted ons. less powerful servers, which consume less energy and resource s. See git://bitreich.org/brcon2025-hackathons/seeedcluster and join in! ## Integrating Impaired Users ♿ Accessibility for Impaired Users * Text-Based Interface: Gopher provides a straightforward text. interface that can be easier for users with visual impairments to. navigate using screen readers. This contrasts with the often. complex and visually rich web pages that can be challenging for. such users ## Low Resource Requirements * Low Resource Requirements: Gopher clients can run on older hardware or. low-spec devices, making it accessible to users who may not have access. to the latest technology . ## History 📚 Educational and Historical Value * Preservation of Digital Heritage: Gopher can serve as a platform for archiving and preserving information in a simple format, ensuring that valuable content remains accessible over time. Watch someodd showing us first impressions on Saturday of his documentary! He included gopher protocol deveopers and Cory Doctorow. See the OCC 25 above. ## Minimalist Design 🔄 Minimalist Design * Focus on Content: The Gopher protocol emphasizes content over design, which can lead to a more focused and less distracting user experience. This can be particularly beneficial for educational purposes or for users seeking specific information. See the gopher lawn! ## Conclusio In summary, adopting the Gopher protocol can contribute to environmental sustainability by reducing energy consumption and CO2 emissions while also providing a more accessible and user-friendly interface for individuals with impairments. ## Geomyidae Release Babylon Party! ## Geomyidae Release Geomyidae 0.99 release! I am glad to announce, that after years of preparation, bug fixing, a major new geomyidae release is coming out. Please read the manpage! There can be incompatibilities in certain areas. These include: CGI handling, path handling. * adding autohell (for real!) support * ./autohell.sh * better rc.d script for FreeBSD * solved c10k problem * traverse mode is now fixed * BIG changes here. Try out your CGI scripts please. * CGI environment is now as close to RFC3875 as possible plus changes for compatibility to other gopherds. * BIG changes here. Try out your CGI scripts please. * geomyidae.8 manpage fixed to modern troff style * some help for better installation on different software distributions * fixed hURL bug Thanks to everyone having contributed! ## Thanks Thank you for listening! If you have further comments, contact me at Christoph Lohmann <20h@r-36.net>