INTRODUCTION TO GOPHER
Some GOPHER logins



Most Web Browsers can handle basic Gopher, so try these servers now .......
But when you want more from your Gopher, download WSGOPHER

What is Gopher ?, What should I know ? & Who is Veronica ?


Some GOPHER sites to start you off......
List of UK servers List of UK servers
Veronica Veronica search engine (see below)
University of Oxford University of Oxford
University College of London University College of London
Weather images Satelite pictures of the United Kingdom
Madonna Madonna Site - Good enough for me !!
Acadia University Acadia University
University of Pisa University of Pisa
Boston Public Library Boston Public Library
University of MinnesotaHuge list of Gopher servers
Illinois University University of Illinois
Panda @ Iowa Panda At University of Iowa
Info @ ANU ANU University
What is 'Gopher' then?
The Internet Gopher program is not actually computer program at all, but a collection of magical incantations handed down from Dark Age conjurors. It works by sending magical "demons" through the air, which scour the world for information, and then return to cast illusions containing the answer. When you use the Gopher, your computer isn't actually doing anything at all. Instead, these demons have mesmirized you with an evil magical spell, which was invoked by the pattern of finger-movements peculiar to the typing of the letters G-O-P-H-E-R on your keyboard. This spell transmits demonic information directly to your brain.

Well hell, no I didn't believe it either, but It came from a VERY reputable source (with maybe a fitting sense of humour). I just wanted to share it with you....... But really..........

Gopher originated at the University of Minnesota, and is named after their mascot, a small furry rodent. Contrary to the above, Gopher is not magical and is commonly used in a very controlled way by libraries, universities and other bodies to share information. Compared to the Internet's web sites, it can look very dull, but it is much quicker as there are no huge graphics and other 'pretty bits' to be constanltly downloaded. What you are left with is a fast, functional communications system for transfer of files and data. Modern Gopher is controlled by clicking on links though, so even if new to communications you should feel pretty much at home with it. HAPPY GOPHERING

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What should I know before I log in ?
On your disk you'll find directories and files. Sure, there are files of many kinds, but they are still just files. With Gopher you also have keyword searches on remote databases, log in sessions to other computers, interactive forms to fill out, and a variety of files you can download.

Like any popular technology, Gopher has a terminology that accompanies it.
  • An item is a directory, document, image, search, anything you can retrieve or activate in fact.
  • A document is the term sometimes used to describe a Gopher directory or text item.
  • A bookmark is the description of how to retrieve a Gopher item.
  • Fetch refers to the process of retrieving a Gopher item.
  • Graphics within Gopher are called bitmaps.

    Being a bit sparse on information display, Gopher uses I.D. codes to show what type of data a file contains. Don't worry about them yet, but here they are should you need them:
      Normal ID's
    • 0 - Item is a file
    • 1 - Item is a directory
    • 2 - Item is a CSO (qi) phone-book server
    • 3 - Error
    • 4 - Item is a BinHexed Macintosh file.
    • 5 - Item is DOS binary archive of some sort.
    • 6 - Item is a UNIX uuencoded file.
    • 7 - Item is an Index-Search server.
    • 8 - Item points to a text-based telnet session.
    • 9 - Item is a binary file!
      Experimental ID's
    • s - Sound type. Data stream is a mulaw sound.
    • g - GIF type.
    • M - MIME type. Item contains MIME data.
    • h - html type.
    • I - Image type.
    • i - "inline" text type (used by panda).

    And thats about all you need to know to get started.......
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    So who is 'Veronica' & what will she do for me ?
    VERONICA: Very Easy Rodent-Oriented Net-wide Index of Computerized Archives.

    Roughly translated, this means she - It is a search & retrieval system for Gopher.

    "Veronica is an index and retrieval system which can locate items on most of the gopher servers in the Internet. The veronica index contains about 10 million items from approximately 5500 gopher servers (June 1994).

    Veronica finds resources by searching for WORDS in TITLES. It does not do a full-text search of the contents of the resources; it finds resources whose titles contain your specified search word(s). The "title" is the title of the resource as it appears on the menu of its HOME gopher server."

    I could have written a long list of instructions, but no-one puts it better than Steven Foster.

    CLICK HERE TO READ HIS FULL INSTRUCTIONS


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