This page outlines access details for The Unicorn Sanctuary, a heritage internet environment maintained by THE MONTREAL GREEK TIMES.
Montreal Greek Radio has been broadcasting on the internet since 1994, at the dawn of the public web. As the very first Greek webcaster anywhere, our digital presence did not begin as a trend or experiment. It began when online broadcasting itself was new.
Unicorn exists because of that history.
Unicorn is not a mainstream access platform. Our modern website, mobile applications, connected TV apps, and contemporary AAC+ and H.264 streams remain the recommended and fully supported access points for the general public.
The Unicorn environment is intentionally designed for computer historians, retro-computing enthusiasts, and technically proficient users who appreciate early internet architectures. It is also suitable for individuals who prioritize privacy and minimalism, as well as members of the independent or “small internet” community who value simpler, decentralized, and low-overhead network protocols.
The technologies used within Unicorn, including Web 1.0 HTML, Gopher, Gemini, Finger, Telnet, and RealAudio, are inherently limited by design. They do not rely on advertising frameworks, tracking scripts, cookies, or modern client-side data collection mechanisms.
Many of these systems predate contemporary usability standards and assume a working familiarity with legacy operating systems, terminal-based environments, and historical internet protocols. Users who access Unicorn are expected to understand how to configure and operate such systems independently. Technical support is not provided for legacy client software or retro computing environments.
Those seeking standard access to our journalism and broadcasting services are encouraged to use our modern platforms.
What Unicorn is
A coherent Web 1.0 and early internet ecosystem that mirrors current content using historically significant protocols and software environments.
- A Web 1.0 HTML mirror
- An Internet Explorer 4-era Active Channel endpoint
- A Gopher server
- A Gemini capsule
- A Telnet BBS
- A Finger news and weather service
- A live RealAudio 3.0 stream over the original PNA protocol
All services are operational.
Unicorn enables access to content produced by THE MONTREAL GREEK TIMES from legacy and retro computing environments. Readers can browse current Greek community news from Montreal on a 486-class system running BeOS, access headlines from an early IBM PC via Finger under UNIX or DOS, view the print replica edition in PDF on a Windows 95 or OS/2 workstation, or listen to Montreal Greek Radio through RealAudio on a Windows 3.11 machine. The objective is not novelty for its own sake, but the preservation of functional compatibility across generations of computing platforms.
Web 1.0 mirror
http://retro.greektimes.ca
This environment is intentionally lightweight and text-first.
Designed for early web browsers including NCSA Mosaic and Netscape Navigator,
it presents current Montreal Greek Times news using original Web 1.0 technologies.
An optional Active Channel subscription is available for Internet Explorer 4.0, preserving the push-style content model of the late 1990s. It represents an early precursor to modern RSS syndication, allowing users to subscribe to updated content directly within the browser. To our knowledge, it is the only Internet Explorer Active Channel presently maintained by a print newspaper operation anywhere in the world.
Gopher
gopher://gopher.greektimes.ca
A menu-driven, low-bandwidth access point reflecting the pre-web internet information model.
Gemini
gemini://gemini.greektimes.ca
A minimal, distraction-free reading environment aligned with small-web principles.
Telnet BBS
telnet://bbs.greektimes.ca
A classic bulletin board system environment for retro users and terminal enthusiasts.
Finger services
Available endpoints:
news@finger.greektimes.ca
Current headlines and updates from the Greek community in Montreal.weather@finger.greektimes.ca
A concise Montreal weather briefing delivered in the spirit of early UNIX network utilities.
How to access:
Finger can be accessed from the terminal of most UNIX-like legacy systems up to modern Windows installations that include the Finger client.
On Windows 11, open the Command Prompt by typing cmd in the Start menu, then enter:
finger news@finger.greektimes.ca
To retrieve the weather briefing, replace news with weather.
No browser, plug-ins, or additional software are required.
RealAudio live stream
A period-correct RealAudio 3.0 live stream delivered using the original PNA protocol. It reflects the architecture of early internet radio and re-broadcasts Montreal Greek Radio in an authentic mid-to-late-1990s format. To our knowledge, it is the only actively operating RealAudio live feed using the original PNA protocol currently maintained by a radio broadcaster anywhere in the world.
Important context
Unicorn is a heritage initiative rooted in our 1994 online broadcasting origins. It exists because we were there when internet radio began.
For modern access to our journalism, radio, and television services, please use our primary website and apps.
Unicorn remains available for those who appreciate early internet architecture, retro systems, and the evolution of digital media delivery.
This site is part of The Montreal Greek Times retro-computing initiative, preserving early internet broadcasting and publishing technologies in active operation.
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