What is the web like without the web?

January 8, 2021

writing, technical

Scroll, scroll, scroll, click! Hahahahaha! Scroll, scroll...

We've all used HTTP-based URLs, some of us have abused them for a living to track the everliving heck out of people. But is that all there is?

There were, and still are, other protocols and linking ideas that do really interesting things.

• Gopher gopher::// A text-only information sharing protocol created by the University Minnesota in the 1990s.

• Usenet  nntp:// (I think, I don't really remember) Large document files that eventually devolved into porn, warez, and pirated music.

• Gemini gemini::// A modern, clean information protocol somewhat like Gopher, but cooler. I don't love this because most of my stuff is visual, and Gemini is text-first, so posting images is a painful process

• IPFS ipfs:// I'm just starting to learn and explore this, it's basically a peer-to-peer document system that looks fascinating