A server that removes a byte with every request
I was inspired by a comment[1] here on HN to write a static web server that slowly degrades the content it serves byte by byte as it is requested. Every time someone requests a path from the server, a byte is removed from the next request to that path (barring 404s etc.) It resets every hour. The nature of the Ritual is that I can't put this behind a cache, so it's possible that the cheap AWS server I used will get hugged to death if it becomes at all popular here. Sorry. [1]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33568061
A server that removes a byte with every request launched on November 14, 2022 with 20 votes, #1,151 of 3,471 launches that month and more than 75% of that year's launches.
In plain words
This is a static web server that removes one byte from content with each request to a given path, gradually degrading what visitors see. Every hour, the content resets to its original state. It's designed as an experimental art project inspired by a Hacker News discussion, intended for anyone curious about creative server behavior. The novelty lies in its deliberate degradation mechanism, which cannot be cached.
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