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What is the web like without the web?

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