GopherSpace: Maricopa and the Internet

Gilbert Gonzales, MCCCD
Have you ever "surfed the Internet?" How do you find out about resources on the Internet? These questions and others present a real problem for skilled and novice users of the Internet. Enter the University of Minnesota's friendly Internet tunneling mascot Ñ the UMN Gopher. The UMN Gopher is a freely distributable application and protocol developed to provide a method of sharing files, software, indexing, and connections over the Internet. Gopher's installations help users navigate the network by building one Gopher service on another. Over 250 Gopher servers act as college-wide information servers, software distribution sites, and many other functions. If you need to share a text document or allow a Gopher user to search through an indexed file with a keyword or two, this may be the marsupial for you.

Maricopa Community College District has been involved with Gopher through Electronic Forum and for several classroom applications. Gopher servers are currently being used by Mesa Community College and Phoenix College for Muse (a virtual reality environment: see Labyrinth Vol.1, Issue 3) and MariMuse (the virtual reality environment used at Maricopa: see Labyrinth Vol.1, Issue 3) participants. Estrella Mountain Community College and MCLI are currently testing the use of Gopher servers. Over the summer, Information Technology Services (ITS) tested and installed a Gopher server built with a "district-wide information server" emphasis. Rather than attempting to collect and distribute information created by all sites, this effort focused on common district-wide information, such as a class schedule's "common pages."

As college faculty and staff investigate the use and installation of Gopher and other Internet tools, they will be able to point to files over the network. This will reduce the duplication of computer resources. With the right network connection, Gopher clients are available for terminal, Macintosh, Windows, MS- DOS, or other personal computers. As with most Gophers, the Maricopa Gopher is undergoing constant updates. New connections or files are added daily. These changes reflect the constant growth of the Internet, and popularity of Gopher as an information distribution tool.

Consider the MCCCD District Gopher a starting point for "surfing" the Internet as well as a resource for district-wide information. As other sites install Gophers for administrative or academic use, Maricopa's participation on the Internet will continue to increase.

How to Access the District Gopher

Option 1:

All A1 users can access Gopher through the Library System.

Begin at the main A1 menu.
Enter "1" for "to use Subject/Title Author/Keyword Index "
At the ">>" prompt, type "INFO"
Select option "4" for "Experimental Gopher"
Press the "?" for a summary of commands.

Option 2:

Use a software client program such as TurboGopher available on the MCLI file server (see article in this issue, MCLI Information Servers). Connect using the following Internet address:

        gopher.maricopa.edu 70

Gopher may also be accessed via your campus VAX or Electronic Forum. At this time, access will differ by college and may not be available at all locations. Contact your computer coordinators for details. If you want to see the MCCCD Gopher in action, attend the Ocotillo Technology Showcase.

Maricopa Center for Learning & Instruction (MCLI)
The Internet Connection at MCLI is Alan Levine --}
Comments to alan.levine@domail.maricopa.edu