So check this out: Google "http error code 410" and the second hit is from diveintomark.org circa 2003.
"""
Let’s all talk about HTTP error code 410.
...
Error 410 means Resource gone, as in, a resource used to exist at this location, but now it’s gone. Not only is it gone, but I don’t know (or I don’t want to tell you) where it went.
...
Now, there is not a lot of information about error 410... I suppose because it addresses a condition that doesn’t come up very often. Also, we’ve all been brainwashed into believing that all resources should be permanent, which simply isn’t true.
"""
Google cache: http://bit.ly/qxdBi5
His servers are returning 410 errors but also the same very deliberate HTML:
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//IETF//DTD HTML 2.0//EN">
<html><head>
<title>410 Gone</title>
</head><body>
<h1>Gone</h1>
<p>The requested resource<br />/<br />
is no longer available on this server and there is no forwarding address.
Please remove all references to this resource.</p>
</body></html>
Clearly Mark's invocation of the 410 error is deliberate.
""" Let’s all talk about HTTP error code 410. ... Error 410 means Resource gone, as in, a resource used to exist at this location, but now it’s gone. Not only is it gone, but I don’t know (or I don’t want to tell you) where it went. ... Now, there is not a lot of information about error 410... I suppose because it addresses a condition that doesn’t come up very often. Also, we’ve all been brainwashed into believing that all resources should be permanent, which simply isn’t true. """ Google cache: http://bit.ly/qxdBi5
His servers are returning 410 errors but also the same very deliberate HTML:
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//IETF//DTD HTML 2.0//EN"> <html><head> <title>410 Gone</title> </head><body> <h1>Gone</h1> <p>The requested resource<br />/<br /> is no longer available on this server and there is no forwarding address. Please remove all references to this resource.</p> </body></html>
Clearly Mark's invocation of the 410 error is deliberate.