OverbiteWX Autor: The Overbite Project

OverbiteWX is a successor to our previous addon OverbiteFF, allowing access to Gopher URLs and Gopher protocol links, but using WebExtensions-compatible APIs.

OverbiteWX currently cannot directly connect to Gopher servers because WebExtensions does not implement a TCP sockets API (see bug 1247628). In this version, your requests are sent to the Floodgap Public Gopher Proxy, which converts the Gopher menu and documents to HTML and HTTP. Future versions will allow a choice of proxy, and eventually restore direct connections to Gopher servers when the API is finally available from Mozilla. Thanks for your patience and indulgence while we wait for WebExtensions to become more useful and complete for the next generation of Firefox addons.

NEW: If you would like to try an experimental Gopher add-on allowing direct connection to Gopher servers using a native component, try our experimental companion add-on, OverbiteNX. OverbiteNX requires a separate open-source component be installed on your computer. OverbiteWX will only use supported WebExtensions APIs.

To set up OverbiteWX:

• Install the addon.
• Enter any Gopher URL or click any Gopher link starting with gopher://
• Firefox will pop up a window saying you must select an application to view that link. OverbiteWX will be in the list. Select it, check the box to remember this choice if you desire (strongly recommended, or you will get this window every time), and click Open Link.
• The Gopher site you have selected will be rendered by the Floodgap Gopher proxy.

You can always choose another Gopher handler from Preferences, Applications. If you uninstall OverbiteWX, you will be asked to choose a new Gopher handler on the next Gopher site you visit.

Thanks for using OverbiteWX!