_why's site is back up and this is the "About Me" [unclear if it is _why]

[aaronbrethorst]

    $ whois whytheluckystiff.net

    Whois Server Version 2.0

    Domain names in the .com and .net domains can now be registered
    with many different competing registrars. Go to http://www.internic.net
    for detailed information.

    Domain Name: WHYTHELUCKYSTIFF.NET
    Registrar: SAMMAMISHDOMAINS.COM LLC
    Whois Server: whois.sammamishdomains.com
    Referral URL: http://manage.snapnames.com/customer
    Name Server: NS3.CERTIFIEDNUTMILK.COM
    Name Server: NS4.CERTIFIEDNUTMILK.COM
    Status: clientDeleteProhibited
    Status: clientTransferProhibited
    Status: clientUpdateProhibited
    Updated Date: 04-mar-2014
    Creation Date: 19-feb-2014
    Expiration Date: 19-feb-2015

Hmm, certifiednutmilk.com?

  $ whois certifiednutmilk.com

  # uninteresting details elided

  Registrant Name: Domain Admin
  Registrant Organization: Privacy Protection Service INC d/b/a PrivacyProtect.org
  Registrant Street: C/O ID#10760, PO Box 16 Note - Visit PrivacyProtect.org to contact the domain owner/operator Note - Visit PrivacyProtect.org to contact the domain owner/operator
  Registrant City: Nobby Beach
  Registrant State/Province: Queensland
  Registrant Postal Code: QLD 4218
  Registrant Country: AU

Between this, Wordpress, the writing style, and the frequent use of the word "mate" makes me think this isn't _why. Unless he's being unusually odd.

[glanotte]

I agree that it probably isn't him, but the site is so ridiculously bad... it just might be.

It does make me sad, just because if he let his domain go, he probably isn't coming back. I did see that it had been parked as recently as a few weeks ago, so it probably did get swiped up.

[wyclif]

_why is from Pennsylvania, making the natural use of "mate" and "schooner" in that sense and context very unlikely (or at least anachronistic).

[Untit1ed]

Looks like some random brit decided he was finally going to get around to making that blog he'd always wanted and just happened to pick whytheluckystuff.net as his domain, which was conveniently expired.

He's currently staring at his analytics page in disbelief. "Wow, my writing really is that good!".

[jamesbritt]

His "contact me" form may be a source of further amusement.

[markrages]

> random brit

Aussie.

[decentrality]

The/a litmus test: does _why use stock photography, stock anything or do work outside the sphere of totally original and mostly/entirely cartoon infused? He was/is the unique collage king ( sensory overload + pioneering humor ).

This blog is almost entirely cookie cutter.

The story of how the domain name originated is not _why's style - he rarely if ever had anything approaching a sincere self-narrative, much less anything even close to "explanations" of why _why did X.

A wordpress blog? Could _why actually sleep at night with that existing even for a moment?

[Greenisus]

The way this is written doesn't sound like _why at all to me.

[koenigdavidmj]

One of the two articles also had it use a British spelling on one thing. _why is known to be American.

[az0xff]

What if this elicits a response from the real _why?

[tjmc]

Looks like an Aussie domain squatter. Flagged.

[sandover]

It appears to be a flimsy attempt to drive traffic to something called the Attraction Institute, which I won't dignify with a URL.

[smoyer]

Perhaps we should all click on the link and immediately close our browsers, making it appear like he hired a botnet to click links for him. With enough clicks, his affiliates will boot him out.

[gamache]

_why's site is not back up. whytheluckystiff.net is back up. This is clearly not his work.

The new site blows, and whoever set this site up is a dumb asshole.

[codezero]

as others suggest, it may not be malicious, could just be someone who doesn't know/care who _why is and just registered a free domain.

[jamesbritt]

Why does this feel like an absolute pisstake?

[codezero]

Probably it is one. The domain record is fresh, so someone probably scooped it up.

Also the host is running under CPanel, which hardly seems like _why.

http://173.192.128.240

Here are other sites hosted on the same nameserver and IP: http://www.websitelooker.net/ns/ns1.certifiednutmilk.com

According to: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=773229 his domain expired in January.

[danabramov]

I wish it was a very elaborate prank by the real _why but I'm not holding my breath.

[carljoseph]

Here's the HN thread of his infosuicide: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=773106

A decent Slate article about his disappearance: http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/technology/2012/03/...

[pablox_cl]

It's obvious that a) it's not him, and b) the new owner it's a dickhead. Nobody will just "come" with that name as some good hearted people have suggested.

[WoodenChair]

I didn't know about the original guy, but it was serendipitous finding this blog for me. I actually enjoyed reading it, and I want to know how it turns out for this dude.

[cpb]

Guess I'll have to wait until I get home: http://i.imgur.com/hihw4Cl.png

[grandalf]

This has got to be a joke being played on us by _why. In a way it's the exact opposite of the brainy but eccentric cartoon foxes theme.

[pwim]

Someone bought the domain for SEO purposes. The article about "how to get [his] wife a bit more excited about ‘adult’ activities" mentions he "found this other site about attracting women called The Attraction Institute", which just happens to be selling an ebook about how to attract women.

[unfunco]

I was excited for all of fifteen seconds, I'm pretty sure this isn't _why (definite lack of character in the copy), I also don't think _why would be running his website on WordPress (Yeah yeah, easy to setup, easy to host, etcetera) but _why liked building things, that doesn't really end.

[nickmolnar2]

_why would never write an article called 'setting up my own software programming company' or use the phrase 'Maybe it would’ve been easier and safer to just stick out the 9-5 and work my way up the corporate ladder in the hope that I got promoted enough to be comfortable after a while…'

[markbao]

The other pages on that blog are just meandering prose with a link to another website, which makes me think that someone picked up the site for its PageRank to link to other pages. But despite having many inbound links, the domain's PR is 0. Weird.

[coherentpony]

Can someone explain to me why this is causing such a stir?

[lindbergh]

why is part of the net folklore from the late 00s that also saw the emergence of Hacker News, ruby mainstream programming et al. I believe there's a strong respect in this community for the work this man has done in previous years.

[steveklabnik]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Why_the_lucky_stiff

[decentrality]

_why is largely responsible for the success and relevance of Ruby to every level of person, entirely approachable, easy to access mentally and retain, totally engaging, and yet 100% bizarre and akin to doing engineering on psychedelics.

He spent 66% of his talks intentionally avoiding the topic he was asked to speak on, and yet that 33% was worth more than 100% of most other talks. He transcended programming. See deluge of Wikipedia links attached.

[mafro]

The GB locale and the use of "mate" and "schooner" would lead me to speculate that the author is Australian.

[keypusher]

This is his domain expiring and some random other guy putting up a blog. Probably has no idea who the original owner was.