Received: with LISTAR (v1.0.0; list gopher); Tue, 12 Feb 2002 14:19:47 -0500 (EST) Return-Path: Delivered-To: gopher@complete.org Received: from erwin.complete.org (pcp947166pcs.cstltn01.in.comcast.net [68.58.145.248]) (using TLSv1 with cipher EDH-RSA-DES-CBC3-SHA (168/168 bits)) (Client CN "erwin.complete.org", Issuer CN "John Goerzen -- Root CA" (verified OK)) by pi.glockenspiel.complete.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 4FE9F3B860; Tue, 12 Feb 2002 14:19:47 -0500 (EST) Received: by erwin.complete.org (Postfix, from userid 1000) id 6E73775836; Tue, 12 Feb 2002 14:19:46 -0500 (EST) To: gopher@complete.org Subject: [gopher] Links to URL References: <200202120132.RAA11190@stockholm.ptloma.edu> From: John Goerzen Date: 12 Feb 2002 14:19:46 -0500 In-Reply-To: <200202120132.RAA11190@stockholm.ptloma.edu> Message-ID: <878z9yik31.fsf@complete.org> Lines: 103 User-Agent: Gnus/5.0808 (Gnus v5.8.8) XEmacs/21.4 (Common Lisp) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-archive-position: 439 X-listar-version: Listar v1.0.0 Sender: gopher-bounce@complete.org Errors-to: gopher-bounce@complete.org X-original-sender: jgoerzen@complete.org Precedence: bulk Reply-to: gopher@complete.org List-help: List-unsubscribe: List-software: Listar version 1.0.0 X-List-ID: Gopher List-subscribe: List-owner: List-post: List-archive: X-list: gopher I think it is best to start small with modifications to the protocol. Therefore, I propose the following: Method to link to URLs from Gopherspace --------------------------------------- 1. Protocol issues Links to URLs from a gopher directory shall be defined as follows: Type -- the appropriate character corresponding to the type of the document on the remote end; h if HTML. Path -- the full URL, preceeded by "URL:". For instance: URL:http://www.complete.org/ Host, Port -- pointing back to the gopher server that provided the directory for compatibility reasons. Name -- as usual for a Gopher directory entry. 2. Conforming client requirements A client adhering to this specification will, when it sees a Gopher selector with a path starting with URL:, interpret the path as a URL. It will ignore the host and port components of the Gopher selector, using those components from the URL instead (if applicable). 3. Conforming server requirements A server with Gopher URL support will not, in most cases, need to take extra steps to provide this support beyond those outlined in Compatibility below. Servers not implementing those steps outlined in Compatibility will be deemed to be not in compliance. 4. Authoring compliance The use of URL: selectors should be avoided wherever possible. In particular, it should be avoided when pre-existing gopher facilities exist for the type of content linked. The following URL types are explicitly prohibited by this specification: gopher telnet tn3270 Authors should avoid links to any document not of HTML type whenever possible. Linking to non-HTML documents will break compatibility with Gopher browsers that do not implement this specification. The ranks of these browsers include most Web browsers, so that is a significant audience. 5. Compatibility Links to HTML pages may be accomodated even for non-comforming browsers by providing additional capabilities in the server. When a non-conforming browser is instructed to follow a link to a URL, it will contact the Gopher server that provided the menu (since these are specified per section 1). When a conforming Gopher server receives a request whose path begins with URL:, it will write out a HTML document that will send the non-compliant browser to the appropriate place. One such conforming document is: You are following a link from gopher to a web site. You will be automatically taken to the web site shortly. If you do not get sent there, please click here to go to the web site.

The URL linked is:

Thanks for using gopher! This document may be any desired by the server authors, but must adhere to these requirements: * It must provide a refresh of a duration of 10 seconds or less * It must not use IMG tags, frames, or have any reference whatsoever to content outside that particular file -- other than the link to the real destination. * It must not use JavaScript. * It must adhere to the W3C HTML 3.2 standard. When a non-conforming Gopher client finds a reference to a HTML file (type h), it will open up the file via Gopher (getting the redirect document) but using a web browser. The web browser will then be redirected to the actual link destination. Conforming clients will follow the link directly. END Comments?