Github blocked from China • Hacker News Board

Re: Github blocked from China

#21

Post by hunvreus » Mon, Jan 21, 2013, 11:57 AM UTC

gkwelding wrote: post #15

My blog, http://www.in-the-attic.com is hosted on Github pages, I have tested against the site this post links to and my site is accessible. IP it resolves to is 204.232.175.78 and this is the Github pages IP address.

Seems to be restricted to domain name resolution, not actual IP blocking. We started noticing some pages going down (http://developer.github.com/ and http://www.github.com) while others were fine (http://github.com).

Combined with the recent upgrade of the GFW, we're stuck with SSH tunnels. There's a business opportunity here (and we're not far from throwing ourselves at it).

Re: Github blocked from China

#22

Post by ccp0202 » Mon, Jan 21, 2013, 12:04 PM UTC

I believe the blocking is directly related to an automated train ticket polling plugin that had brought down Github just days ago. Due to upcoming Chinese New Year, newly released train tickets are sold within minutes. That plugin introduces huge traffic to already crumbling ticket vending site, and it has obviously made railroad bureau angry. Blocking Github makes that plugin immediately malfunction because it makes reference to javascript files hosted on Github pages. The bureau has also paid a visit to the plugin's author, for the purpose of intimidation perhaps.

Re: Github blocked from China

#23

Post by dualogy » Mon, Jan 21, 2013, 12:06 PM UTC

aneth4 wrote: post #7

I'm not sure how any developer survives in China without a VPN, so this is probably one of the least vulnerable groups. On the other hand, any deployment strategies that depend on github are going to be hosed. I no longer live in China. Internet issues are a bit reason for that.

Yeah, as a permanently-travelling techie, China is a no-go area for me. Their internet policies, the treatment I once received at an embassy of theirs applying for an innocent tourist visa for less than 2 weeks (just to check out the place really), and their pollution levels in urban areas were 3 big enough issues combined for me to conclude -- I can skip that place probably for another decade at least.

For folks who are into Chinese culture or language, there's always way saner (in all 3 respects) places (and arguably equally beautiful if you're into the nature twist of things) such as Taiwan, Singapore, urban parts of Malaysia, heck Macau or Hong Kong if need be.

Folks who're stuck there for career reasons -- don't envy them. Folks who stay there voluntarily -- it boggles my mind, but different strokes I guess.

Re: Github blocked from China

#24

Post by why-el » Mon, Jan 21, 2013, 12:22 PM UTC

ccp0202 wrote: post #22

I believe the blocking is directly related to an automated train ticket polling plugin that had brought down Github just days ago. Due to upcoming Chinese New Year, newly released train tickets are sold within minutes. That plugin introduces huge traffic to already crumbling ticket vending site, and it has obviously made railroad bureau angry. Blocking Github makes that plugin immediately malfunction because it makes…

Doesn't GitHub ban people who hotlink to assets? I remember reading this somewhere.

Re: Github blocked from China

#25

Post by hnfmr » Mon, Jan 21, 2013, 12:28 PM UTC

As a developer from China, I can tell you that I am furious now. The bottom line has long been that sites such as Github.com & etc are not blocked. This is no longer true...

Re: Github blocked from China

#26

Post by ga0bi » Mon, Jan 21, 2013, 12:33 PM UTC

hunvreus wrote: post #11

barry-cotter wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, I know. Anyone else at the HN meetup at Abbey Road? I'm thewhite guy with glasses, a beer, laptop and a receding hairline.

The next HN meetup will be held on February 21, after the Chinese New Year: http://shanghaihn.org/

Anyone know if there's an organized HN meetup in Beijing?

Re: Github blocked from China

#27

Post by pekingduck » Mon, Jan 21, 2013, 12:39 PM UTC

Hmmm...I can access github from Beijing without any problems... (I am using Google's DNS servers)

Re: Github blocked from China

#28

Post by nickyoung » Mon, Jan 21, 2013, 12:44 PM UTC

hunvreus wrote: post #19

barry-cotter wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Bollocks. I thought it was tonight. See you next month.

Subscribed you to the mail reminder so that you don't forget: see you there.

Is it possible to be subscribed as well?

Re: Github blocked from China

#29

Post by biesnecker » Mon, Jan 21, 2013, 12:45 PM UTC

hnfmr wrote: post #25

As a developer from China, I can tell you that I am furious now. The bottom line has long been that sites such as Github.com & etc are not blocked. This is no longer true...

Seriously? (I say this as someone living in Shanghai now, who has lived here for the last 10 years). Github was your bottom line?

Re: Github blocked from China

#30

Post by biesnecker » Mon, Jan 21, 2013, 12:47 PM UTC

This really sucks because Github doesn't seem to like my favorite OpenVPN providers -- I can access the site, but actual git operations don't work. Previously I'd just disconnect, clone/push/etc., and reconnect, but now that might not work at all.

Pain in the ass, more so by the day it seems.