Date: Wed, 26 Aug 92 17:18:21 CDT
From: fxa@boombox.micro.umn.edu ("Farhad Anklesaria" )
Original-To: gopher-news@boombox.micro.umn.edu
Subject: Two new versions of Mac Gopher client [LONG]
Newsgroups: comp.infosystems.gopher
Distribution: comp

There are two new versions of the Mac HyperCard-based Gopher client
now available: version 1.2.7, the last non-Gopher+ client; and 2.0b1,
the first beta release of a Gopher+ client.

Via Gopher:
University of Minnesota Gopher  (gopher.micro.umn.edu)
 Information about Gopher
   Gopher Software Distribution
     Mac_client
       client.hqx                       contains version 1.2.7
       directory gopher+beta            contains 2.0b1

Via anonymous FTP:
boombox.micro.umn.edu
 /pub/gopher/Mac_client/client.hqx      contains version 1.2.7
 /pub/gopher/Mac_client/gopher+beta/    (directory) contains version 2.0b1


Version 1.2.7
-------------
This contains support for the Gopher "T" type for tn3270 sessions
added by Michael Sherer <michael.r.sherer.1@nd.edu>.
Also contains support for redundant primary servers.
It coexists fine with Gopher+ servers (but so do previous versions).

Version 2.0b1
-------------
WARNING.  THIS IS A BETA VERSION OF THE STACK WITH GOPHER+ SUPPORT.
ADMINISTRATORS OR CONTROL-FREAKS SHOULD PROBABLY NOT DISTRIBUTE THIS
TO THE NAIVE, GENERAL USER POPULATION.

Below is information from the Gopher+BETA.ReadMe file:

This is the a BETA release of the internet Gopher client stack
with Gopher+ enhancements.  The version is 2.0b1.

As of 26 August 1992, there are no "real" Gopher+ servers around.

There is a "reference" Gopher+ server running on yoyo.micro.umn.edu
at port 2000.  This exhibits a model client-server interface for
client writers to test their clients.  It has no administrator-
server interface, and as such is not a "real" server.  The Gopher+
beta client exhibits a model user-client interface.  You can
try out the 2.0b1 client by aiming it at this server; of course
you can also try it out on non-Gopher+ servers.  Read the Help
windoid: it'll explain a lot.

Gopher+ 2.0b1 client
--------------------

0.  Coexists with a mix of Gopher+ and non-Gopher+ servers.
    Most current clients do this just fine.
1.  Accepts the three different forms of Gopher+ data transfer,
    recognizes Gopher+ items, and requests such items in a 
    Gopher+ manner.  Benefits: Binary transfer & better error
    messages under Gopher+.
2.  Fetches raw Attribute Info at request of user.
    Attribute Info is faked for non-Gopher+ items so that the
    user does not experience a rude discontinuity.
2A. Fetches Alternate views (forms) of an item at request of 
    user.  Alternate forms not understood will be saved in a file.
    Alternate forms understood will be passed to Mac applications
    using FinderEvents under System 7 and HyperCard 2.1.
    There is an extensible mapping between Gopher+ view names
    and Macintosh applications that understand that kind of data.
    Alternate view lists are not faked for non-Gopher+ items...
    since there is only one view, that's what the user is told.
    Again there is no discontinuity between Gopher+ and non-
    Gopher+ items (if a Gopher+ item has no alternate views
    the user is told the same thing).
2B. Adds image retrieval based on "I" Gopher+ image type.

+ASK attribute block support has not been added yet.
We're working on a template for the Gopher+ Attribute Registry...
but it's not here yet either.  Patience...

The way the bookmarks work has changed too... but this is just
a user-interface wrinkle...

It took surprisingly little work to get an almost full featured
Gopher+ client up and going.  Based on feedback, we can
tweak the user-interface, but we should adhere to
consistency and continuity.  Things have changed, and the
user's paradigm must change, but we want the user to extend to
the new view easily.  Ideally we want a user who knows nothing
about the Gopher+ protocol enhancements to say:
"So what's the big deal?  Seems about the same."

We'd love comments from testers out there... send 'em to the usual place:
           <gopher@boombox.micro.umn.edu>
Discussion etc best done on USENET comp.infosystems.gopher rather than on
gopher-news.

F.

--
Farhad Xerxes Anklesaria
Gopher Maven-In-Residence
Microcomputer Research Group
University of Minnesota
fxa@boombox.micro.umn.edu