If you are unable to read this, there is an archived copy at https://archive.ph/d3236
https://i.ibb.co/vCDH79d0/IMG-0303.png
…and not a bot… hoping not to turn off iCloud Private Relay to read, well, anything. (Maybe Google Scholar if I really needed it, the most mainstream thing I know of with a complete and effective iCloud relay ban.)
*edit: per author’s reply elsewhere, as a test site, rather a good implementation! But other webadmins, please don’t adopt all methods if you can avoid it :)
I could some day split it out into a blog and a demo site.
Instead of learning something I get a blank screen, for the crime of being interested and living somewhere you deem block worthy. Cool.
Our situations to be fair aren’t equivalent. If my block were due to my region instead of an optional paid service, that would feel worse. Maybe it wouldn’t have been the first time either. Whole continents written off!
Let’s certainly loudly complain if someone implements all these methods and inadvertently blocks us when they should’ve known better or don’t care about collateral damage. (If they’re apologetic, between a rock and a hard place with receipts, would require further discussion. e.g. is their choice really between serving us and closing shop)
Edit: but title could add “(but don’t)” at the end
*I think they do something manually sometimes, like logging into a The Information Pro account and mirroring popular articles. (Unless they can use a visitor’s account somehow, like with some browser extension…) And suspected without evidence maybe The Information did some watermarking to ensure they could quickly ban accounts used like that.
And thank you!
They were the reason I started blocking data-centers. I wanted to see if I could block all of their addresses which turned into quite an exercise. Initially I was able to block them by blocking TCP SYN packets with an MSS of 1380 and 1300 but talking about it here was a mistake as their admin is on HN. They fixed that and made their MSS 1460 like a nominal home internet connection.
The next thing I had to block was the Russian Federation. That seems to be where the controlling nodes are, I think. That made me even more curious who they were so I just kept iterating through the blocking process. I ended up blocking a number of ASN's and all of Russia. They are all in the linked archive file in the article but I don't specifically call out the ones that are archive.is.
Most on HN think they operate on a shoe-string budget but I have my doubts. I suspect an asset of a technical arm of an intelligence agency but to what purpose and what end I have no clue. They are very clever whoever they are and certainly earned my respect. Either way I think their site is useful, I just wanted to see if I could block it.
For some reason I find this very amusing.