GopherProxy

	4-article-tgtimes-most-minimal-gopher-server.md - tgtimes - The Gopher Times
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	4-article-tgtimes-most-minimal-gopher-server.md (2360B)
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	1 # Most minimal Gopher server by tgtimes
	2
	3 Gopher is a protocol providing a gateway to a document system, allowing
	4 to serve an organized hierarchy of files over the network. Dynamically
	5 generating the content as per user requests is also possible. The client
	6 side is in charge of rendering the content as it sees fit.
	7
	8 Generating Gopher indexes and transmitting file contents or generated
	9 contents is low in software compmlexity, and in turn allows less expensi…
	10 hardware to be run than complex web stacks.
	11
	12 Which cost would we end-up for building a minimal piece of hardware able
	13 to host the Gopher protocol acheiving all of the above?
	14 The Gopher Times investigates.
	15
	16 ## Communication
	17 While WiFi is inexpensive and fits moving device gracefully, the
	18 reliability of Ethernet is indicated for a server. Ethernet adds
	19 1 USD of cost for the transceiver handling the electricial characteristi…
	20 of Ethernet. These typically expose an RGMII interface.
	21
	22 ## Processing
	23 A microcontroller featuring an Ethernet peripheral (with an RGMII
	24 interface) could be the popular STM32F103, or an alternative
	25 compatible part. Enough processing power would be present for an
	26 embedded TCP/IP and a TLS stack.
	27
	28 ## Automation
	29 In addition, most microcontrollers feature a large range of
	30 built-in peripheral such as timers and communication or analog
	31 interfaces, enabling automation of devices such as lighting,
	32 heating, laundry, motors, or an entire car, through external
	33 modules. This would come for no extra cost.
	34
	35 ## Storage
	36 A slot for a MicroSD card would allow storing and updating
	37 the static content to serve, and storing network configuration.
	38
	39 ## Scripting
	40 There exist project to fit programming languages onto microcontrollers.
	41 Separate projects for supporting a subset of each of Python, Ruby,
	42 Javscript, Go, Rust, Lua, Forth and more.
	43
	44 ## Power
	45 By letting power supply happen through the USB port, a large range
	46 of power source can be used, such as battery, solar panels, wind
	47 turbine, hydropower, or power outlet.
	48
	49 The bill of materials for such a design would approximate 5 USD.
	50 A marketed device with a small margin for the seller could reach
	51 as low as 10 USD.
	52
	53 Interestingly, such a device would also be able to provide an
	54 equivalent Web service able to work with all Web client, but
	55 not running the existing popular Web server software stacks
	56 known as "Web Frameworks".