Description: Gopher is an internet protocol designed for the distribution, searching, and retrieval of documents online, which became popular in the 1990s. Unlike the World Wide Web, which uses a hyperlink-based approach, Gopher organizes information in a hierarchical menu structure, allowing users to navigate through different levels of content. This protocol was developed in 1991 by a group of students at the University of Minnesota, led by Mark P. McCahill. Gopher allows access to text documents, images, and other types of files, facilitating interaction with servers that store information. Although its use has significantly declined with the advent of the modern web, Gopher remains an interesting example of how information was structured in the early days of the internet. Its simplicity and focus on data organization made it popular at the time, and although it is now considered obsolete, its legacy endures in how online navigation is conceptualized.
History: Gopher was created in 1991 by a group of students at the University of Minnesota, led by Mark P. McCahill. Its development occurred in a context where the World Wide Web was still in its early stages. Gopher quickly became a popular tool for accessing information online, especially in academic settings. However, with the advent of the web and its more visual and dynamic approach, Gopher began to lose relevance in the mid-1990s.
Uses: Gopher was primarily used to access text documents and other types of files on servers. It was common in libraries and educational institutions, where a simple way to organize and retrieve information was needed. Although its use has declined, some Gopher servers are still operational, allowing users to access historical content and old files.
Examples: An example of Gopher usage is accessing digital libraries that still maintain Gopher servers, where users can browse collections of academic documents and educational resources. Software archives and historical data can also be found on some of these servers.
