Kevin Loch, the creator and maintainer of the popular IP address lookup tools ip4.me and ip6.me, has passed away. His websites provided a simple and reliable way for users to determine their public IPv4 and IPv6 addresses, and were widely used and appreciated by the tech community. These services are currently offline, and their future is uncertain. The announcement expresses gratitude for Loch's contribution to the internet and condolences to his family and friends.
The dataset linked lists every active .gov domain name, providing a comprehensive view of US federal, state, local, and tribal government online presence. Each entry includes the domain name itself, the organization's name, city, state, and relevant contact information including email and phone number. This data offers a valuable resource for researchers, journalists, and the public seeking to understand and interact with government entities online.
Hacker News users discussed the potential usefulness and limitations of the linked .gov domain list. Some highlighted its value for security research, identifying potential phishing targets, and understanding government agency organization. Others pointed out the incompleteness of the list, noting the absence of many subdomains and the inclusion of defunct domains. The discussion also touched on the challenges of maintaining such a list, with suggestions for improving its accuracy and completeness through crowdsourcing or automated updates. Some users expressed interest in using the data for various projects, including DNS analysis and website monitoring. A few comments focused on the technical aspects of the data format and its potential integration with other tools.
After their startup failed, the founder launched VcSubsidized.com to sell off the remaining inventory. The website's tongue-in-cheek name acknowledges the venture capital funding that allowed for the initial product creation, now being recouped through discounted sales. The products themselves, primarily blankets and pillows made with natural materials like alpaca and cashmere, are presented with straightforward descriptions and high-quality photos. The site's simple design and the founder's transparent explanation of the startup's demise contribute to a sense of authenticity.
HN commenters largely found the VCSubsidized.com site humorous and appreciated the creator's entrepreneurial spirit and marketing savvy. Some questioned the longevity of the domain name's availability given its potentially controversial nature. Others discussed the prevalence of subsidized goods and services in the startup ecosystem, with some pointing out that the practice isn't inherently negative and can benefit consumers. A few commenters shared personal anecdotes of acquiring and reselling goods from failed startups. The overall sentiment was positive, with the project viewed as a clever commentary on startup culture.
The Hacker News post asks why someone would buy domains and 301 redirect them to their main site. The author wonders about the purported SEO benefits, specifically if it's worthwhile given the cost of domain registration and potential negative impact from associating low-quality or unrelated domains. They question if this practice is truly effective for increasing search engine ranking and driving traffic, or if it's a largely outdated SEO tactic.
The Hacker News comments discuss various reasons why someone might buy domains and 301 redirect them to their main site. Several commenters suggest SEO benefits, such as consolidating link juice and potentially ranking for more keywords. Others point to branding and defensive strategies, like acquiring misspelled versions of a domain name or variations to prevent competitors from using them. Some discuss the potential for acquiring expired domains with existing traffic and backlinks. A few caution against overdoing it, as excessive redirects or low-quality backlinks could harm SEO. Finally, a couple of comments mention using redirects for personal branding or consolidating multiple projects under a single online presence.
Summary of Comments ( 13 )
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43256298
The Hacker News comments mourn the passing of Kevin Loch, creator of ip4.me and ip6.me, highlighting the utility and simplicity of his services. Several commenters express gratitude for his contribution to the internet, describing the sites as essential tools they've used for years. Some share personal anecdotes of interacting with Loch, painting him as a helpful and responsive individual. Others discuss the technical aspects of running such services and the potential future of the sites. The overall sentiment reflects appreciation for Loch's work and sadness at his loss.
The Hacker News post titled "The owner of ip4.me/ip6.me, Kevin Loch, passed away" generated a number of comments expressing sadness and appreciation for Kevin Loch and the simple, yet incredibly useful services he provided.
Many commenters shared their personal experiences of using ip4.me and ip6.me, highlighting how frequently they relied on these tools for various networking tasks. These comments underscored the widespread impact of Loch's seemingly small contribution to the internet infrastructure. Several people remarked on the clean, ad-free, and straightforward design of the websites, appreciating their efficiency and lack of clutter. This simplicity was seen as a testament to Loch's understanding of what users truly needed.
The ephemeral nature of digital legacies was a recurring theme. Commenters lamented the potential loss of such valuable services when their maintainers pass away, particularly when those services are tied to individual efforts rather than larger organizations. Some expressed hope that Loch had made arrangements for the continued maintenance of ip4.me and ip6.me, recognizing their ongoing utility for the internet community.
A few commenters shared anecdotes about interacting with Loch directly, describing him as responsive and helpful. One commenter even mentioned a past Hacker News thread where Loch had discussed the technical details behind the services. These personal recollections painted a picture of a dedicated individual who was passionate about providing practical tools for others.
Beyond the expressions of sympathy and appreciation, some comments delved into technical discussions. Some users questioned the long-term viability of relying on single-person projects for essential internet infrastructure and suggested the need for more robust, community-supported alternatives. Others discussed the technical challenges of running such services, highlighting the complexities involved in accurately determining and displaying IP addresses.
Overall, the comments on the Hacker News post reflected a mixture of sadness at Loch's passing, gratitude for his contribution to the internet, and concern about the future of the services he maintained. The prevailing sentiment was one of respect for a developer who created something genuinely useful and made it freely available to the world.