gemini://the.web-is.fail/why-client/
Why You Should Use A Client When Exploring the SmolNet
If you’re done just kicking the tires of SmolNet, and want to explore it in greater depth, then you want a client (like a browser) for that. Most gemcaps that support logins, use client TLS certificates as both identification and authentication, rather than username-and-password, so a client that can generate and manage different client certificates is particularly helpful for taking a more active and participatory role in the community (as opposed to just observing).
Example sites that use TLS certs for logging in, include:
http://portal.mozz.us/gemini/bbs.geminispace.com/
http://portal.mozz.us/gemini/sggs.thegonz.net/
What else does using a SmolNet client buy you? Depending on the client’s capabilities:
- Significantly faster load times than a portal
- As mentioned above, you can generate manage TLS-cert identities for logging in
- Won’t burden the portal server
- You can still surf the SmolNet even if the portal site goes down
- The relief of knowing that so long as you stay in the client, that nasty web can’t harm you (but only if using a client with no web protocol support)
I recommend Lagrange, which
- is available on multiple platforms,
- supports a large number of SmolNet protocols (including Gopher, Gemini, Titan, Spartan), but not web protocols,
- can generate/manage TLS-certificate identities/logins,
- can manage subscription feeds to any updates to your favorite capsules,
- will generate a table of contents, for navigation convenience,
- generates a unique theme/appearance for each capsule,
- supports the Titan protocol for posting, uploading, and editing content (depends on the capsule’s support for these features)
- clearly distinguishes between SmolNet and web hyperlinks, and
- uses (some) familiar keybindings from common web browsers
Here are a handful of links to clients you might try:
Lagrange (RECOMMENDED!) (multiplatform, including iOS and Android)
Kristall (multiplatform; does Gemini, but not Gopher)
Deedum (for Android; does Gemini, but not Gopher)
Amfora, a feature-rich Gemini browser for your terminal
Elinks (In-terminal browser. Does Gemini,, does Gopher, does the web too.)
Lynx (does Gopher, in addition to web stuff)
(See the Gemini Project’s “Known Software” page, for many more!)
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