[dujiulun2006]

Wow. That was just a jokey comment about how angry I was about the Chinese govt.

As one of the billion people who live inside the Intranet "protected" by the GFW, I guess I can say I'm quite aware about how and why this happened. Let's start from the beginning.

For those who host things Chinese govt doesn't like, it usually just block the website altogether (Twitter, FB, and recently Google). But it had tried to block Github, twice. Each time there is a huge response from the Chinese webizens (mainly programmers) calling to unblock it.

Another way to block certain content from a website is to filter by keyword (like Wikipedia). But GH is encrypted so that's a no. The govt even tried to use some fake SSL certificates to MITM it. So some "smart" guys exploited this feature and created the repo greatfire/wiki and things like this.

Then some evil guys from GFW thought of this way, directing the attack at these user accounts, to warn GH to remove these accounts.

What I don't agree with you is the word "reasonable" (and the "no"). First, it's never "reasonable" to DDoS attack a website. Second, if you can't block the content, you have a choice to block the website and take the bitter from every single webizen against you. Finally, I believe it's the website owner's choice to choose who / what they want to use their website. Since GH is a U.S. company (I guess), it doesn't have to listen to a sh*t from the Chinese govt.

[westiseast]

I totally agree with you - the Chinese government has some right to protect their sovereignty, but if github or the American way of life is so offensive, then block the website and tools outright. I live here too, and it's kind of offensive when (speaking generally now) Chinese people want cherry-picked access to Western technology, science, design, creativity etc. but then aggressively reject the culture that produced them.

[aaronem]

Content blocking only does so much, as evidenced by the existence of tools specifically designed for its circumvention, and presumably effective at same.

And of course it's up to the website owner whose content they host. They don't have to take down those repositories. But, unless the DDoS stops, they have to choose between taking down those repos and continuing to stand the gaff.