A new UnApi-compatible Gopher browser for MSX2 systems revives early internet protocols on 1980s hardware, blending retro computing with minimalist networking.
In the landscape of modern high-speed internet, a developer known as Nihirash has created an unexpected bridge to computing's past with Moon Rabbit – a Gopher protocol browser for MSX2 computers. This project revives the nearly forgotten Gopher protocol on hardware from the mid-1980s, demonstrating how early networking concepts remain relevant in today's retro computing revival.
The MSX2, released in 1985 as an enhanced version of the popular MSX computer standard, lacked native TCP/IP capabilities. Moon Rabbit solves this through the UnApi specification, an MSX-specific TCP/IP stack interface. By implementing UnApi compatibility, Moon Rabbit enables these vintage machines to access Gopherspace – the text-oriented precursor to the World Wide Web that organized information through hierarchical menus rather than hyperlinks.
Above: Moon Rabbit in action on MSX2 hardware (Source: Project GitHub Repository)
Technical implementation reveals clever optimizations for the hardware constraints. Moon Rabbit operates exclusively in MSX2's TEXT2 mode (40×24 characters) and uses a custom font with embedded icons for visual navigation cues. The entire browser compiles to a compact .COM executable using sjasmplus assembler, with optional GNU Make support. For operation, users need:
- A functioning UnApi TCP/IP stack (like RamHelper with INL for Obsonet cards)
- The compiled
moonr.combinary - Custom
font.binwith iconography - A starting
index.gphGopher menu
Nihirash notes architectural similarities to their Internet NEXTplorer project for ZX Spectrum Next, sharing design philosophies across 8-bit platforms. The browser currently supports core Gopher features including document retrieval and menu navigation, with planned support for basic image formats in future versions.
The project operates under Nihirash's unique "Coffeeware License" – a nod to open-source culture that requests users support the developer's coffee habit if they find the software useful. Given GitHub Sponsorship's unavailability in Russia, contributions are facilitated through PayPal.
Moon Rabbit represents more than nostalgia; it demonstrates how minimalist protocols like Gopher remain viable for resource-constrained systems. As modern web complexity grows exponentially, this MSX2 browser offers a functional counterpoint showing how efficient early networking protocols were. For retro computing enthusiasts, it provides authentic period-appropriate internet access, while for historians, it preserves the tangible experience of pre-web networked computing.
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