[ANN] Fafi, a Racket-based client

[Luke Emmet]

On 12-Aug-2020 23:57, Andre Garzia wrote:
> I'm new to this list, to Racket, and to Gemini, but I am quite happy 
> to be here because I have an interesting project to share. I have 
> built a simple Graphical Gemini client using Racket, it should run in 
> any platform Racket runs (I have tested it on Windows, macOS and Linux).
>
> The most interesting parts of it are the fact that it supports tabs, 
> which is a feature I don't think is yet common among the clients, and 
> that it converts gemtext into a cute s-expression based representation.
>
> At the moment it doesn't pass all the 51 tests in the client torture 
> list but IIRC it passes more than 40 of them. Anyway, I need to fix 
> redirecton loops and I can't support some of the TLS stuff because 
> Racket is shipping TLS 1.2.

Welcome to the ecosystem!

Its great to see another client. There are a couple of other clients 
that support tabs like Kristall and amfora (that I know of). Others take 
the approach of forking the browsing session with a new window (like my 
own, GemiNaut). Personally I like to be able to use the normal OS 
features to manage application windows, and each fork of the browsing 
session feels more to me like a separate thread through Geminispace to 
be independently minimised, maximised, etc. Some folk seem to prefer 
tabs though.

On a slightly separate note, I saw from your profile you have a 
background in FirefoxOS. I know it had its ups and downs, but it does 
live on in KaiOS which is gaining a wide user base particularly outside 
Europe and North America. I have a a Nokia 2720 which I love as a flip 
phone, for its relative simplicity and for its battery life. There is a 
simple marketplace of apps.

So a quick question - do you think it could be possible to write a 
gemini client for KaiOS? Personally, it would be great to be able to 
check a few pages when on the move. And more importantly, it would open 
gemini up to a wide and diverse range of potential new users who may 
have a lot to contribute.

Best Wishes

  - Luke