news.volyx.in

This Page is Designed to Last (jeffhuang.com)

1321 points by tannhaeuser · 2490 days ago · 446 comments on HN

Article summary

The article discusses the issue of link rot and the disappearance of content on the web, highlighting the importance of preserving content for the long term. The author proposes a set of guidelines for creating websites that can last for at least 10 years, including using vanilla HTML/CSS, avoiding hotlinking, and compressing images. The goal is to make web content more durable and maintainable, reducing the risk of broken links and lost information. By following these guidelines, website owners can help ensure that their content remains accessible and usable over time.

Main themes

  • link rot and content preservation
  • web development and maintenance
  • archiving and preservation methods
  • browser extensions and tools
  • information accessibility and scarcity
  • capitalism and information economics
  • web page formatting and compression
  • long-term website durability

What commenters say

  • Some commenters agree that preserving web content is crucial and share their own methods for archiving web pages, such as using browser extensions or saving pages as PDFs.
  • Others discuss the challenges of maintaining websites over time, including the risk of broken links and the need for regular updates.
  • There is debate about the best format for archiving web pages, with some advocating for WARC and others suggesting MHTML or SingleFile.
  • A few commenters mention the importance of considering the cost of storage and bandwidth when archiving web pages, and the need for efficient compression methods.
  • Some argue that browser developers should prioritize building archiving features into their products, making it easier for users to save and preserve web content.
  • Others propose using alternative methods, such as printing pages or saving them as screenshots, to preserve content.
  • The discussion also touches on the role of capitalism and scarcity in shaping the way we approach information preservation and access.
  • A few commenters share their experiences with using specific tools or services for archiving web pages, such as SingleFile or Archive.org.