R.I.P. Paul Flaherty - GoFuckYourself.com

FredIsMe · 03-25-2006, 07:29 PM

From http://news.yahoo.com/s/cmp/20060325/tc_cmp/183702830

Funeral services for Paul A Flaherty, 42, the computer engineer who developed key inventions for the Alta Vista search engine, were held Friday in Menlo Park, Calif. not far from the former Digital Equipment Lab where the pioneering search engine was launched.

Flaherty died March 16 of a heart attack at his home in Belmont, Calif., family members told The Associated Press, as reported in the San Jose Mercury News on Friday.

Soon after he received his doctorate in electrical engineering from Stanford University in 1994, Flaherty joined Digital's Network Systems Laboratory. Alta Vista was the Internet's first popular search engine and it introduced millions to online searching before Google took over the top position. Initially, the popularity of Alta Vista took Digital management by surprise, because it was first used to promote Digital hardware. Intrigued by the then-emerging World Wide Web, Flaherty thought of indexing the Web in 1995. Alta Vista was launched later that year and experienced immediate success, handling more than 20 million daily hits within a year.

But Alta Vista as a business never found much traction. There was an aborted attempt to take it public during the dot.com bubble, but Digital was under assault from investment bankers and the IPO didn't come to pass.

Alta Vista didn't even own its domain name during its heyday. After Digital and the search engine bounced around for several months, it ended up at Compaq Computer, which finally purchased the Alta Vista domain name for $3.3 million. Then Hewlett-Packard acquired Alta Vista.

Finally, Alta Vista ended up at CMGI, an Internet investment company. The Alta Vista domain still exists but it isn't visited much.

Flaherty, too, moved around working as a corporate strategist and management consultant.

In a last message on his web site, he left an almost plaintive message about the Internet. "The Internet isn't what it used to be," he wrote. "I've been hacking around here for more than a decade, and in that time, I've seen the 'net evolve from a collection of 56k lines and IMPs to the fiber/GigaSwitch morass that it is today.

"The Internet Community has also changed, from a small group of researchers and students to just about everyone. While technically the 'net has evolved for the better, it's lost the Small Town community feel. Times change."

Downtime · 03-25-2006, 07:30 PM

rip paul!

tony286 · 03-25-2006, 07:30 PM

42 fuck thats young

Mr.Right - Banned For Life · 03-25-2006, 07:33 PM

That is really young.

MaddCaz · 03-25-2006, 07:34 PM

Yea...particularly to be in a huge moneymaking industry...

2HousePlague · 03-25-2006, 07:41 PM

"Go on, then..."

2hp

Dirty Dane · 03-25-2006, 07:46 PM

42? damn

u-Bob · 03-25-2006, 08:04 PM

r i p.

gecko · 03-25-2006, 09:07 PM

RIP to him

Spunky · 03-25-2006, 09:08 PM

Too young..quite the shame..RIP

RawAlex · 03-25-2006, 10:53 PM

A gentle reminder to everyone else not to live your life behind the desk. Enjoy what you got before it all goes away.

Alex

ready lube · 03-25-2006, 11:06 PM

Jeez that's so young.

R.I.P

Vitasoy · 03-26-2006, 12:36 AM

Such a young age, rip.

fris · 03-26-2006, 12:39 AM

ya thats young, i still use babelfish all the time on the site. r.i.p

xclusive · 03-26-2006, 12:39 AM

R.I.P. Poor guy. way to young to die.

baddog · 03-26-2006, 12:40 AM

real young for a heart attack

SmutGiant · 03-26-2006, 12:58 AM

Sad to hear

I used to love Altavista back in the day

kristin · 03-26-2006, 01:01 AM

42? Wow ... poor guy.

May he rest in peace.

DoctorSticky · 03-26-2006, 01:17 AM

RIP man, thanks for your contributions.

Cash · 03-26-2006, 01:42 AM

RIP, sad to die at 42 ...

03-25-2006, 07:29 PM	#1
FredIsMe So Fucking Banned Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Livin' in America Posts: 2,406	R.I.P. Paul Flaherty From http://news.yahoo.com/s/cmp/20060325/tc_cmp/183702830 Funeral services for Paul A Flaherty, 42, the computer engineer who developed key inventions for the Alta Vista search engine, were held Friday in Menlo Park, Calif. not far from the former Digital Equipment Lab where the pioneering search engine was launched. Flaherty died March 16 of a heart attack at his home in Belmont, Calif., family members told The Associated Press, as reported in the San Jose Mercury News on Friday. Soon after he received his doctorate in electrical engineering from Stanford University in 1994, Flaherty joined Digital's Network Systems Laboratory. Alta Vista was the Internet's first popular search engine and it introduced millions to online searching before Google took over the top position. Initially, the popularity of Alta Vista took Digital management by surprise, because it was first used to promote Digital hardware. Intrigued by the then-emerging World Wide Web, Flaherty thought of indexing the Web in 1995. Alta Vista was launched later that year and experienced immediate success, handling more than 20 million daily hits within a year. But Alta Vista as a business never found much traction. There was an aborted attempt to take it public during the dot.com bubble, but Digital was under assault from investment bankers and the IPO didn't come to pass. Alta Vista didn't even own its domain name during its heyday. After Digital and the search engine bounced around for several months, it ended up at Compaq Computer, which finally purchased the Alta Vista domain name for $3.3 million. Then Hewlett-Packard acquired Alta Vista. Finally, Alta Vista ended up at CMGI, an Internet investment company. The Alta Vista domain still exists but it isn't visited much. Flaherty, too, moved around working as a corporate strategist and management consultant. In a last message on his web site, he left an almost plaintive message about the Internet. "The Internet isn't what it used to be," he wrote. "I've been hacking around here for more than a decade, and in that time, I've seen the 'net evolve from a collection of 56k lines and IMPs to the fiber/GigaSwitch morass that it is today. "The Internet Community has also changed, from a small group of researchers and students to just about everyone. While technically the 'net has evolved for the better, it's lost the Small Town community feel. Times change."

03-25-2006, 07:30 PM	#2
Downtime Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: May 2004 Location: America. Posts: 7,320	rip paul! __________________ #27024067

03-25-2006, 07:34 PM	#5
MaddCaz Confirmed User Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Illinois Posts: 9,483	Yea...particularly to be in a huge moneymaking industry... __________________ BigCocks.com - MatureWomen.com - Tranny.com - DrunkGirls.com - TeenGirls.com - MonsterCock.com and many more... Click here to see them all!

03-25-2006, 07:41 PM	#6
2HousePlague CURATOR Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: the attic Posts: 14,572	"Go on, then..." 2hp __________________ tada!

03-25-2006, 09:07 PM	#9
gecko ****** Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 21,846	RIP to him __________________ [email protected]

03-25-2006, 07:30 PM	#3
tony286 lurker Industry Role: Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: atlanta Posts: 57,021	42 fuck thats young

03-25-2006, 07:33 PM	#4
Mr.Right - Banned For Life I guarantee it Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 18,314	That is really young.

03-25-2006, 07:46 PM	#7
Dirty Dane Sick Fuck Industry Role: Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: www Posts: 9,491	42? damn

03-25-2006, 08:04 PM	#8
u-Bob there's no $$$ in porn Industry Role: Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: icq: 195./568.-230 (btw: not getting offline msgs) Posts: 33,063	r i p.

03-25-2006, 09:08 PM	#10
Spunky I need a beer Industry Role: Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: ♠ Toiletville ♠ Posts: 133,949	Too young..quite the shame..RIP __________________ *YOUR INFORMATION HERE*

03-25-2006, 10:53 PM	#11
RawAlex So Fucking Banned Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: In a house. Posts: 9,465	A gentle reminder to everyone else not to live your life behind the desk. Enjoy what you got before it all goes away. Alex

03-25-2006, 11:06 PM	#12
ready lube Confirmed User Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: ReadyLube.com Posts: 2,043	Jeez that's so young. R.I.P __________________ Ready Lube - Natural Water Based Personal Lubricant that really works! Check out our special offers going on now! Save BIG! Spice things up with Ready Lube!

03-26-2006, 12:36 AM	#13
Vitasoy GFY HALL OF FAME DAMMIT!!! Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 58,202	Such a young age, rip. __________________ [email protected]

03-26-2006, 12:39 AM	#14
fris Too lazy to set a custom title Industry Role: Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 55,372	ya thats young, i still use babelfish all the time on the site. r.i.p __________________ Since 1999: 69 Adult Industry awards for Best Hosting Company and professional excellence. WP Stuff

03-26-2006, 12:39 AM	#15
xclusive Too lazy to set a custom title Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 35,218	R.I.P. Poor guy. way to young to die. __________________ I support MediumPimpin.com / Shemp's Outlawtgp.com /

03-26-2006, 12:40 AM	#16
baddog So Fucking Banned Industry Role: Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: the beach, SoCal Posts: 107,089	real young for a heart attack

03-26-2006, 12:58 AM	#17
SmutGiant Confirmed User Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 4,895	Sad to hear I used to love Altavista back in the day

03-26-2006, 01:01 AM	#18
kristin GOO! Industry Role: Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Back Home : ) Posts: 9,768	42? Wow ... poor guy. May he rest in peace. __________________ Vacares rules. "Usually only fat guys have the kind of knowledge and ability that Kristin has."

03-26-2006, 01:17 AM	#19
DoctorSticky Confirmed User Join Date: May 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 117	RIP man, thanks for your contributions. __________________ Use shorter embeds and make some sales; thousands of videos; 50+ new ones added every day: PORN8.com Find videos to use on your site and setup custom player colors that match your site template: PORN8 Webmaster Page

03-26-2006, 01:42 AM	#20
Cash Click on my TCG signature Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 20,825	RIP, sad to die at 42 ... __________________ $9.95/month for 15000 GB bandwidth monthly, unlimited (sub)domains and MySQL5, PHP4/5, 500 GB disk storage! ; use any of these invitation codes: 216263692101; 408636009193; 846090586647; my ICQ 30160426!