November 2024
SAVE THE OLD WEB
Preface
Greetings, dear friends!
If you are here with us again, it means the first issue resonated in your heart and evoked those very memories of the times when the internet was a cozy corner for seekers of knowledge and communication. Now, as you read the second issue, you already know that this magazine is about illuminating the path to a completely different internet, where meaning matters more than clicks, where quality matters more than quantity.
With every new step, each line of code, and every personal website, we are getting closer to an internet where you can breathe freely, where everyone can find their corner. The small web grows, not because it strives for greatness, but because it seeks truth, self-expression, and sincerity. This is a place for those who want to think, share, and create.
Today, when advertising algorithms penetrate deeper into personal space, the small web becomes a refuge for those who value freedom from imposed trends. In a world where everyone chases instant results, here, in our small corner, there is a modest and quiet place for genuine communication and the exchange of ideas.
In this issue of the magazine, we continue our journey through the small but meaningful internet. Let this release be another opportunity for you to pause, look back, and see the internet from a different perspective — from the side of those who are not afraid to be themselves. May "Elpis" continue to inspire you in your searches and discoveries. After all, as we know, hope is always with us, even in the toughest times. Each of you contributes to bringing the internet back to its original purpose: to be a place for people, not corporations.
Welcome to the world where meaning is important, where every word matters, and where our still-small internet continues to live and grow thanks to you.
Enjoy your reading and have a good journey!
Table of Contents
2024 is marked by many interesting anniversaries in cinema, video games, the internet, and technology.
Here is a selection of some of them:
Movies
25 years of "Fight Club" (1999) – the cult film by David Fincher, based on the novel of the same name by Chuck Palahniuk, became a landmark movie for the late 90s generation. After watching this movie, Palahniuk became one of my favorite authors.
25 years of "The Matrix" (1999) – a revolutionary science-fiction film by the Wachowskis (then brothers, now sisters), which changed the concept of visual effects and popularized philosophical questions about reality. This is a movie worth rewatching, as each viewing offers something new and makes you think.
50 years of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" (1974) – the classic slasher by Tobe Hooper, which became foundational for the horror genre.
50 years of "Chinatown" (1974) – a neo-noir film by Roman Polanski starring Jack Nicholson, which gained cult status. It's an incredible movie that remains timeless and is captivating even today.
40 years of "Ghostbusters" (1984) – a comedic film about fighting paranormal phenomena that continues to stay popular. Thanks to this franchise, I used to wake up on Sunday mornings to watch another episode of the animated series, and I have no regrets — those were wonderful times.
35 years of "Batman" (1989) – directed by Tim Burton, starring Michael Keaton. This comic book adaptation kicked off a new era of superhero movies. Honestly, I have mixed feelings about this film; on one hand, it's interesting, but on the other, it feels primitive by today's standards. However, if you compare it to how Batman was in the 60s, it all makes sense ;-)
Video Games
40 years of the "Tetris" franchise (1984) – one of the most iconic video games, created by Soviet programmer Alexey Pajitnov, and still popular today. This was the game that occupied the minds of children worldwide in the 90s, with nearly every kid carrying a "Tetris" in their school backpack.
40 years of "Duck Hunt" (1984) – a classic game for NES, where players shoot ducks using a light gun, and it became a hit of its time. This game once inspired me to look for similar NES games. I thought there were only a few, but I was wrong — there are dozens of them; they just didn't make it to our market.
30 years of "DOOM II" (1994) – the sequel to the legendary shooter, which significantly expanded the mechanics of the original game and influenced the entire FPS genre. I hate this game with all my heart and soul; it feels like whenever John Carmack's wife went to her gynecologist, instead of seeing what he should have, he saw a demo of the next version of the game. But credit where it's due — the game has raised its third generation of gamers.
30 years of "Warcraft: Orcs & Humans" (1994) – the first game in the series that started one of the most successful strategy franchises and the Warcraft universe. There's not much to say here; if you haven't played "Warcraft," you're missing out. It's an incredible strategy game that introduced many ideas and solutions that influenced future strategy games.
25 years of "Silent Hill" (1999) – one of the most iconic psychological horror games that set new standards in the genre. At the time, I didn't play this game, and I later regretted it. It's a really cool project. I recommend watching a retrospective, playing it, or at least watching a stream. It's worth it.
Internet and Technology
30 years of the WWW as a public project – in 1993, CERN released the first web browser, making the World Wide Web accessible to everyone. This event marked the start of the mass development of the internet.
25 years of the Google search engine (1998) – Google was officially founded on September 4, 1998, and quickly became the world's leading search engine.
20 years of Facebook (2004) – the social network that launched in 2004 celebrated its 20th anniversary this year. It significantly changed the way people communicate online. In honor of this anniversary, I'll make myself a T-shirt with the words "20 years of suffering."
25 years of ICQ (1998) – the first widely-used internet messenger that was popular in the late 90s and early 2000s. This was a brilliant thing, and I still remember my first registered number. Unfortunately, they later messed up the interface, which only boosted the ratings of competitors who overtook this project in the 2000s.
40 years of DNS (1984) – the Domain Name System, which translates domain names into IP addresses, became an essential technology for the functioning of the internet.
Operating Systems
30 years of the FreeBSD operating system (1993) – one of the most popular open-source UNIX-like operating systems, widely used on servers.
25 years of Windows 98 SE (1999) – the second edition of the popular Windows 98 OS, which brought many improvements and fixes. By the way, to achieve backward compatibility for website layouts, I often test templates in this version under Internet Explorer 5.
25 years of Mac OS X Server 1.0 (1999) – the first release of the server version of Mac OS X.
10 years of Windows 10 (2014) – the universal Microsoft operating system, which combined the experience of previous versions and offered users a free upgrade from Windows 7 and 8.
Important Events
35 years of Game Boy (1989) – Nintendo's first portable gaming console, which revolutionized portable gaming. I remember this gadget too — it was insanely expensive and drained batteries quickly, but that didn't make it any less cool. In the late 90s, I played games on an emulator, and I recall those times with warmth and nostalgia.
50 years of the punch card (1974) – IBM stopped producing punch cards, which were used in computers for storing and inputting data.
These anniversaries help us look at the development of pop culture and technology over the past decades.
Over the years of working with websites, I've realized one simple truth: a website is defined by what is written on it, not what it is built on. Everything else is just the background — technology that, while it may affect usability or appearance, doesn't matter if there's no content. I've encountered different approaches: huge CMS platforms, tiny static page generators, and the simplest HTML files. Each time, I came to the same conclusion: the content is what truly matters.
CMS power, but at what cost?
When I first started working with websites, CMS platforms seemed like the perfect solution. A large, powerful platform that allows you to do literally everything. Need to add a contact form? There's a plugin for that. Want to create an online store? Here you go!
On the one hand, this convenience is tempting: it feels like there's no task you can't solve. But over time, I realized that behind this power lie some problems.
Websites built on large, bloated CMS platforms often start accumulating unnecessary functionality, redundant modules, and plugins that slow them down. In the end, you find yourself spending more time configuring interfaces, updates, and optimizations than focusing on the actual content.
But in reality, users don't visit a website for the fancy forms and complex navigation; they come to find the text, the article, or the information they need. At some point, I began to realize that despite the technical capabilities of these big CMS platforms, a website can become a barrier to its own content. It's like a giant, half-empty library full of labyrinths: the books are there, but finding them is difficult.
Static sites: back to basics
At some point, I became interested in trying a completely different approach — static websites. I started with generators. It was different here: no dynamics, no complexity. You simply create a page, publish it, and it stays as it is. Initially, it seemed too simple, like a step back, as if I were abandoning all the "features" of the popular bulky CMS platforms.
But that's what attracted me. In static websites, there are no distractions. You focus on the main thing — the text, the images, the information. There's no database, no constant pressure from plugin updates. You feel like you control every pixel, every symbol on the page. And this sense of clean development is inspiring. The user comes for the content, and it's there, easily accessible, without any obstacles.
Small CMS and static generators: a balance of simplicity and possibilities
Of course, there are intermediate options between static sites and "monsters" like WordPress. For example, small CMS platforms or page generators. I remember the first time I encountered simple yet effective tools for building websites. Each script had interesting side features, so to speak — from the author. They require almost nothing, are easy to use, but still provide the ability to dynamically manage content. However, based on my experience with such scripts, I decided to create my own, one that would fully meet my needs. My vision differed from previous developments, and the main goal was not to distract but to assist.
These small CMS platforms aren't overloaded with unnecessary functionality. They give you the freedom to focus on what's important. For me, it was like a breath of fresh air: you can manage the content without sacrificing simplicity. Such systems are perfect for small websites, blogs, or personal projects. They don't trap you in a world of endless configurations but allow you to concentrate on what truly matters — what you want to say.
Content is the core of any website
Every time I face the question of what platform is better to build a website on — a large CMS or a static generator — I recall my experience and realize: it all depends on the content. If your website is a gallery or a blog with simple texts, there's no need to choose complicated solutions. If the project is dynamic, requiring frequent user interaction, yes, complex systems may be useful. But you must weigh all the pros and cons first.
However, in the end, it all comes down to one simple thought: a website is defined by its content. Whatever technology you choose, if the content isn't engaging, useful, or interesting, users will leave. It doesn't matter if the website is built on large bulky CMS, a static generator, or a small CMS — what matters is the text, the information, the idea you're conveying.
I often reflect on how technology has changed since I started web development. The world is moving towards complexity, but sometimes it's better to return to the basics. After all, in the early days of the internet, websites were simple, but millions read them. People were interested not in how the site was built but what was written on it.
This belief has stayed with me ever since: technology should serve the content, not the other way around.
If you come across non-standard tags in an HTML document, it may indicate that they were created by developers for specific purposes. But how can you create and why would you need such tags? In this article, we will explore how to use custom HTML tags, such as `
<m>` and `
</m>`, and how their application can enhance your web design.
Why use custom tags?
Using custom tags allows you to highlight elements on a page by giving them unique styles and effects that may not be available through standard tags. This can be particularly useful for:
1. **Customizing text**: You can easily create special styles for specific text sections without overloading semantic tags.
2. **Applying unique effects**: Custom tags can be styled using CSS to create effects like gradients or animations.
3. **Simplifying code**: By using custom tags, you can make your HTML code more readable and understandable, especially if you have a group of elements that need to be styled in the same way.
Example of using custom tags:
Let's say you want to italicize text and apply a unique style to it. You can do this as follows:
CSS
m {
font-style: italic;
/* Apply italics */
background: linear-gradient(to right, #ff7e5f, #feb47b);
/* Gradient background */
color: #fff;
/* Text color */
padding: 5px;
/* Add some padding */
border-radius: 5px;
/* Round the corners */
}
JavaScript
document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function() {
const mTags = document.querySelectorAll("m");
mTags.forEach(tag => {
tag.classList.add("m");
// Add class to apply styles
});
});
HTML
Example of text
<m>that should become italic
</m> within the phrase.
Possibilities
You can use custom tags for various purposes:
- **Highlighting key phrases**: Allow users to quickly notice important information.
- **Creating visually appealing content**: Applying gradients, backgrounds, and animations can make your text more interactive.
- **Interactive elements**: You can add event handlers to custom tags, allowing for more dynamic user interfaces.
Conclusion
Using custom HTML tags can become a great tool in the arsenal of web developers. They allow you to create unique styles and improve the appearance of your content, making it more attractive to users. However, it's important to remember that this approach is not standard practice, and you should ensure that your custom tags are supported by all target browsers.
Try using custom tags on your pages and experiment with their styles to see what interesting effects you can achieve!
It seems to me that the biggest problem with the small web, as well as the Gemini, Gopher, and other networks, is that there are too many repetitive articles about how wonderful it is to live in a small house in a small town with your little brothers. How great the small web is, how truly awesome it is to be part of it!
The problem is that no one is thinking about the fact that content matters, not the repetition of a simple short propaganda line that word-for-word says the same truth in every blog: "Do, do, do, don't copy, write in your own words, but write about yourself, your observations, your problems, your technical solutions, about things you would write about on social networks, but write them in your own blog. Write what hurts and bothers you! There's no need for praises and curtsies for the small web."
Just look at what Gopher has become. You visit any site of any person, and there's at least one paragraph about how great Gopher is and how wonderful it is here. And at the bottom are the contacts of an ordinary person from somewhere. But it's rare to read really useful blogs, articles, or just see what cool and interesting things the person has hidden on their site. There's none of that! Everywhere it's the same.
The solution to the problem is that we need content for social networks (I'm not talking about the nonsense posted by girls), I'm talking about serious things that you, and you, write there because you know your readers are still there. There are groups of readers who aren't interested in the fact that autumn has come and that Gopher is great. They are interested in the content on Gopher.
In our Telegram channel, I constantly argued about this topic with the younger generation (we have a young crowd interested in the small web). They say something like: "I've been there, there's nothing useful, only praises of the protocol."
That's the solution! We need more articles! More websites, projects, technical solutions, and all of it needs to be carried over to a new format for readers and future website builders, because without content, the idea of the small web will die, its ideology will perish.
Is it better not to write than to write?
I understand that it might be difficult for a person to produce interesting content often and in large quantities. Few people are able to do that.
But we shouldn't be thinking about those who are already sitting in social networks; they won't leave. We should think about those who are Googling, searching for information that's useful to them. I doubt that people searching for information will be interested in reading the same text on hundreds of blogs; it feels more like a cult: hallelujah!
We don't need that. The website's appearance — its facade, its style, its layout — should show who you are.
When I was a fan of rock and metal in my youth, I had long hair — you could tell who I was just by looking at me. The appearance of web pages can also show what kind of person the author is. The use of colors — even something as simple as yellow on red — can already tell you that the person is expressing some form of protest. Punk style is always punk. And I don't think those people are writing on their pages about how great punk is; they just are punks, that's how they're made, that's how they live!
The solution is simple: just write.
The solution is that you need to fill your blogs and websites with genuinely useful information, not a rehash of how awesome Gopher, Gemini, and the small web are. Write really useful articles that people search for in search engines, and the facade of your website will tell them how good the small web is.
Then the small web will grow a little more, and even more.
I decided to start publishing a series of reviews about the internet protocols that were popular or nearly forgotten in the 1990s. This idea was born out of the desire to show that the internet offers alternative paths for sharing information, especially in the face of constant news about data breaches, whether personal or corporate. I also wanted to do this without resorting to modern technologies like blockchain or onion domains, which often turn into myths of security and support planned obsolescence.
The first protocol I'd like to talk about is Gopher. This choice is not accidental — there's a lot of negative feedback about Gopher in narrow circles, where it's considered unnecessary and outdated. However, I always thought that such judgments arise from a superficial acquaintance with this protocol. Many simply did not delve into its capabilities and settings, which led to a distorted perception.
Today, there may be fewer Gopher servers than there are programs created to work with this protocol. It's a surprising phenomenon, given the internet's development and the dominance of the WWW, which made it seem like simple protocols like Gopher would disappear without a trace. However, enthusiasts continue to develop software for interacting with Gopher — both clients and servers. As a result, although there are few active servers, the number of tools for working with the protocol continues to grow.
It's interesting to observe how a protocol that is almost forgotten in everyday practice finds new life in the form of cross-platform clients and servers adapted to modern conditions. Gopher clients exist for all possible operating systems — from retro DOS versions to modern Linux and Windows. This shows that Gopher remains relevant in certain circles where minimalism, ease of configuration, and independence from mainstream technologies are valued. Perhaps it's precisely this balance between a lack of mass popularity and active community support that makes Gopher so unique.
The Birth of Gopher
Gopher was created at the University of Minnesota in 1991, designed with one simple goal: to simplify information sharing. It was named after the university's football team mascot. At the time, Gopher's concept seemed revolutionary: instead of manually exchanging files, users could browse documents and information organized in hierarchical menus. This approach proved so convenient that Gopher quickly gained popularity, not only in universities but also in government institutions, scientific organizations, and even international companies.
The internet back then was "friendly" to experimentation. Standards were not rigidly established, and every new protocol or service was met with curiosity. Gopher became one of those technologies that, for a while, genuinely changed perceptions of what the internet could be. Its minimalism and efficiency helped it quickly carve out a place in the world of network protocols. Gopher had no complex images or graphics — only text and links, which was ideal for the time, when modem connection speeds were painfully slow.
The Rise and Fall: 1993
By 1993, Gopher's popularity was at its peak. However, in February of that year, a crisis occurred that would set Gopher back for many years. The University of Minnesota announced that it would begin charging licensing fees for Gopher-based servers. This decision led to a mass exodus of users — most preferred to switch to the newer and more dynamic WWW standard, which by that time had become open and free.
This was a moment when the future of the internet could have gone down a different path. Gopher and WWW were competing for users' attention, but the openness and free availability of the World Wide Web played a key role in its victory. Gopher's developers bet on monetization, and this turned out to be a fatal mistake. The world of technology was changing rapidly, and only a few survived in the face of such fast-paced development.
The Pandemic and Gopher's Revival
Many might have thought that Gopher's story ended in the 1990s. But that was not the case. Like some other technologies from the past, Gopher unexpectedly returned to the spotlight when the world faced the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. People in lockdown were not only searching for new forms of entertainment but also rediscovering old, forgotten technologies that offered alternative ways to interact. Amid concerns about privacy and data control by large corporations, Gopher began attracting attention with its simplicity and independence from mainstream platforms.
While modern websites require enormous resources to function, Gopher remains lightweight and fast, even on the oldest devices. This quality became especially valuable for those seeking new ways to share information without relying on Google, Facebook, and other tech giants.
What Is Gopher Today?
At first glance, Gopher may seem like a relic of the past, but in reality, its simplicity and functionality remain relevant. Gopher servers still exist and function, and many enthusiasts continue to support them and develop new tools for working with the protocol. One of Gopher's main advantages has always been its cross-platform nature. Gopher servers can be run on any operating system — from old versions of Windows and DOS to modern Linux and macOS. There are many programs for working with Gopher, from the classic text browser Lynx to more modern solutions like OverbiteFF — a Firefox extension.
Launching your own Gopher server today is just as easy as it was 30 years ago. Programs like Motsognir or PyGopherd allow anyone to set up a server on their computer or in the cloud in just a few minutes. Gopher servers don't require powerful hardware or complicated configurations, and this remains one of their greatest strengths.
Where to Host Your Gopher Site?
Although Gopher remains a niche protocol, there are several platforms that offer free hosting for Gopher sites. For example, SDF Public Access UNIX System is one of the oldest public UNIX systems that offers hosting for Gopher resources. Fried Fish and Circumlunar.space are two other platforms that support small communities of Gopher developers and enthusiasts. These platforms have become a home for those who want to explore the internet in its simpler, more minimalist form, without excessive graphics and advertising.
Gopher's Influence on the Modern Internet
What's surprising is that Gopher still influences modern technology. The idea of minimalism in content, which was at the heart of Gopher, is once again becoming popular in the context of growing interest in lightweight web technologies and alternatives to the traditional web. Even the concept of organizing information in a tree-like structure of directories is reflected in some modern applications.
Today, Gopher remains a protocol for those who seek simplicity and control over their data. It's a reminder of a time when the internet was a non-commercial space for the free exchange of ideas and information, not a massive machine for processing user data. In an era when privacy is becoming a major concern, alternatives like Gopher give us the opportunity to reflect on the future of the internet and what it could become if we returned to the basics.
The weather was beautiful outside, evening was approaching, and the first weekend was coming to an end. Vasya decided to treat himself to something unexpected. Since he hadn't had a relationship in a long time, his apartment had long forgotten the scent of a woman — Vasya decided to fix this, if only for a little while, by turning to the internet.
Despite financial difficulties and his own dimwittedness, Vasya was a stubborn person, which often led to mistakes, but this time he was more confident than ever.
After a few taps on the keyboard, his search brought up various websites, and Vasya clicked on one. The page opened, revealing women of ill repute. Success was near; all he needed was to grab his credit card. Vasya quickly filled in his contact details and address. The order was urgent — for today.
In just about two hours, the doorbell rang. Vasya jumped from his chair, and without even looking through the peephole, opened the door. But instead of what he expected, an elderly lady stepped past him into the room, slightly pushing Vasya aside. An old woman of unknown age: high-heeled boots and stockings of a 20-year-old, a skirt and top of a 30-year-old, a jacket from the 80s, and a dyed wig on her head. The woman of ill repute was carrying a large bag.
"My name is Stella! Can I have an ashtray?" she asked.
Vasya rushed to the kitchen to find something that could resemble an ashtray. He didn't smoke. Finding an old coffee cup, Vasya returned to the room where the prostitute had already lit a cigarette. Vasya was confused.
"Are you sure you're at the right address? I was expecting someone else..."
"Don't be a jerk, boy. By the way — do you like toys?"
The woman pulled a large green artificial phallus from her bag. With a careless wave, she startled Vasya so much that he ran and locked himself in the bathroom.
"Go away! Get out of here! Leave!"
Vasya was terrified to the point of hysteria, sobbing from fear.
"Which condom do you want? I've got banana-flavored, ribbed, even tiger stripes — want some?"
Vasya fainted. Two hours later, the woman simply left, leaving behind a smoke-filled room.
After cleaning his apartment, Vasya stayed away from the internet for another two weeks.
This was the second issue of our magazine. We hope it entertained you and reminded you of the times when the Internet was more personal and cozy, free from corporate interests. In our world, where every step on the Internet is tracked, the small web remains the place where content is more important than views and likes.
With each new site written with soul, we return to the origins of the Internet, where you can just be yourself. Here, content is created not to follow standards and trends, but to share your stories and experiences. The small web grows thanks to sincerity and creativity, and not for fame.
I hope that the magazine will inspire you to create your own corner of the Internet - be it a blog, a personal project, or a site that reflects you. The Internet is not only a place for consumption, but also a space for self-expression.
Thank you for being with us! We look forward to your feedback and see you in the next issue!
prepared by Turboblack
