Ask HN: What would you preserve if the internet were to go down tomorrow?

Hacker News Discussion ↗

Fears of a sudden, long-term internet outage prompt a split between those focused on preserving digital knowledge and those arguing that food, power, and social order would matter far more. Many suggest archiving Wikipedia, open-source software, scientific libraries, maps, YouTube how‑to videos, and even large language models onto local storage, often alongside personal photos and documents. Others counter that offline books and public libraries already serve as robust knowledge stores, and that society’s deep dependence on networked banking, logistics, and communication is the real vulnerability to worry about.

Framing the Scenario & Practicality

  • Many argue that if the global internet vanished “tomorrow,” the real crisis would be banking, supply chains, communication, and fuel/food logistics, not loss of websites.
  • Several consider the premise largely a thought experiment; others treat it as serious preparedness, including for regional firewalls or natural disasters.

What to Preserve: Knowledge & Culture

  • Common picks: Wikipedia (often full offline dumps), Sci‑Hub, LibGen, Anna’s Archive, Internet Archive, Project Gutenberg, OEIS, GitHub and major OSS docs.
  • Some want large YouTube slices (technical talks, how‑to, historical TV, survival/crafts, math channels) but note difficulty filtering the useful <1%.
  • Others emphasize ebooks (fiction + technical), music, ROMs/emulators, movies, and personal photos.

Software, Code, and AI Models

  • Desired archives: Linux distros and full mirrors (Debian, Slackware, openSUSE), GNU, Apache, compilers, language ecosystems (pip, npm, cargo, PyPI), Git hosting mirrors.
  • Strong interest in LLMs (LLaMA variants, DeepSeek, etc.) as “compressed internet,” plus tooling like Ollama; some question hardware feasibility for gigantic models.
  • Debate over open source survivability without internet: small projects likely vanish; large ones might become centralized within single organizations.

Maps, Survival & Practical Skills

  • Offline maps (OpenStreetMap and clients) are repeatedly highlighted, especially for disaster scenarios.
  • Popular: army field manuals, medical/dentistry guides, agriculture/husbandry, DIY home repair, “where there is no doctor/dentist,” survival and primitive‑tech material.

Storage, Backup, and Offline Access

  • People describe existing archives from hundreds of GB to 100+ TB, using HDDs, LTO tape, optical media, microSD “knowledge sticks,” and Kiwix/OpenZIM.
  • Long debate on durability and practicality of CDs/DVDs, Blu‑ray, M‑DISC, tape vs HDDs, and long‑term digital vs paper retention.

Physical vs Digital & Role of Libraries

  • Some insist books, DVDs, and local libraries outperform digital in robustness and accessibility (no power, no special readers).
  • Others note emerging long‑term digital media but acknowledge reader–hardware dependencies.

Societal Impact & Resilience

  • Several think humanity could rebuild local networks (LoRa, radio, sneakernet, UUCP) quickly; others stress loss of centralized trust, payment systems, and phone/VoIP.
  • A visible minority say they would preserve “nothing,” viewing most online culture as low‑value or harmful, or preferring to focus on tangible survival goods.