A few weeks back I read some gopher posts about extending the gopher
protocol or adding features like tls/ssl support. I think both are
a mistake, if there is a need for other features that gopher doesn't
provide, use other protocols. Gopher's main selling points are that
it's simple, and focused around plain text. However, I think adding
some encryption is a smart move, in today's internet, but I think
it's best served by using other tools. More specifically, I think
onion services with gopher are a great combination - encryption,
anonymity, and no need to change servers or clients. Plus, setting
up an onion service is trivial.

I am also in the process of writing my own gopher client. It's fun
because the protocol is so simple, and it's easy to skip features
like search and just concentrate on the basics first.

On an unrelated note, there's a nascent language called myrddin
that I think is pretty nifty: http://myrlang.org