In short, HTTP includes all network protocols - NFS, gopher, ftp, NNTP, telnet, etc,
and extends the existing data formats to include HTML but generalizes the hypertext
link to a URL and text to hypermedia (GIF, JPEG, etc. - or any other data format
for which you have an external viewer.)
For instance, for the following URL's
file:// implies NFS protocol (or ftp or local mount protocol - ambiguous)
gopher:// implies gopher protocol
ftp:// implies ftp protocol
telnet:// implies telnet protocol
news:// implies NNTP protocol
etc.
The idea is, if your local file or gfile" protocol doesn't work, it may be because
you don't have a NFS or ftp server eunning. If you don't have a NFS server, try ftp.
It's quite possible you may have to have a HTTP server. The proof is in the eating
of the pudding.
=========================================================================
Kenneth Simpson Technology Modeling Associates, Inc.
Internet: [email protected] 3950 Fabian Way
AT&T: +1.415.812.7233 Palo Alto, CA 94303
FAX: +1.415.856.8860 USA, Earth
=========================================================================