Eric said:
It's off by default but can be enabled.
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS02-047.mspx
Why does the patch disable Gopher?
Very few customers use Gopher today. Customers who do use Gopher can easily
enable it, but for the majority of users the most appropriate default
condition is to have the protocol disabled.
I do use Gopher. How do I re-enable support after installing the patch?
First, if you followed the workaround instructions in Microsoft Security
Bulletin MS02-027, you'll need to undo those changes. Microsoft Knowledge
Base article Q326185 provides instructions for doing this.
Next, you'll need to set the following registry key to enable Gopher via the
patch:
Hive Key Type Value
HKEY_CURRENT_USER
Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet
Settings\EnableGopher
How smart! Here comes the conclusion, if I understand correctly:
1. IE support gopher just fine. It is disabled because people don't need
it, so have IE being able to interprate gopher://... is a waste (a wast
of what?) and turned off by default.
2. Because people don't need it, so if someone by accident access
gopher://... , IE should display "host not found" so they realize they
don't need it. This also helps the administrators practice DNS check and
network connectivity check, thus enhance the administrator's working
experience.
3. If people really want it, like you and me, he/she can easily enable
it. This action is really easy like 1-2-3:
1) Check if your IE is patched. If it is not, you are done; if it is
patched, go to 2)
2) Check if you followed the workaround instructions in Microsoft
Security Bulletin MS02-027, If you did not follow the security
instruction, it's okay; if you did it, undo it follow kb article Q326185
to undo it.
3) Open register editor, edit this key
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\EnableGopher
Oh this key does not exist on my registry, so create a DWord key for it.
4. After all these, restart IE. Gopher does not work (still "host not
found"). So reboot Windows it works. I am glad I made it, I spent sweet
4 hours so far for googling around and exploring the reason IE does not
display it (as I was told in the begining gopher is supported on a
microsoft.com webpage, which is true), so I really begin to think gopher
is a bad thing, you see, it's a waste of time. I and people on the earth
should disable the support for gopher in our heads by default.
