GoServe 2.52 GoServe -- A Web and Gopher Server for OS/2 """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Copyright (c) IBM Corporation, 1993, 1998. All rights reserved. Introduction """""""""""" Two popular protocols for providing information on the Internet are the HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP, used by World Wide Web clients) and Gopher (used by both Web and Gopher clients). 'GoServe' is a multi-purpose server for OS/2 which supports both these protocols. The emphasis in the design of GoServe has been to make it easy to become an information provider for the Internet, while not inhibiting full use of the protocols by sophisticated users. Providing that you already have TCP/IP installed, GoServe can be running and serving files across a network in minutes; no re-boot or editing of configuration files is necessary. The GoServe package includes 'quick start' instructions and working samples for both Web and Gopher servers. GoServe processes requests from Web or Gopher clients using a Rexx script to allow for customization. A server can handle requests from many clients, using OS/2 threads and script caching for efficiency. Multiple servers can be started (using different ports), and an audit trail of requests and actions can be recorded. When running as a Web server, much of the complexity of the Web protocol is handled automatically; many GoServe users will only need to be concerned about the data being provided, and need not be concerned about the mechanism. While running, a graphical display of GoServe activity is shown (the "Graphical Webspinner Interface"?), with optional response-time graphing and audible indication of connections. For control, various restrictions may be employed to limit the load on the server machine. GoServe operations can be controlled remotely, if desired, using any Web client (or an OS/2 CMD program). GoServe is a 32-bit OS/2 application, which requires OS/2 2.x or OS/2 Warp. GoServe requires IBM TCP/IP for OS/2, or equivalent, to be installed and operational (either on a real network or using the loopback driver). GoServe may be used as both a Web server and a Gopher server on the same server machine, on one or more ports for each, if required. - - - - - Mike Cowlishaw, IBM UK Laboratories mfc@uk.ibm.com