RIP Lowtax

[Rilot]

Rich "Lowtax" Kyanka has died: https://www.engadget.com/something-awful-founder-lowtax-dead-170501155.html?src=rss&guccounter=1

Back in the early days of the Internet, Something Awful was where all the Photoshops and other craziness came from. This is in the days before 4chan and Reddit. SA is still there but isn't as funny or relevant any more.
I remember fondly his reviews of The Sims and Daikatana (more frogs!). Photoshop Friday was always fun.

A sad day

 

[V F]

I somewhat remember the site from people through the IRC days but didn't know who he was.

 

[Deleted User 298457]

Proper blow to internet culture there!

I remember scraping the :10bux: together for membership as a youth.

Edit: also haven't seen an engagdet link in a decade haha.

 

[[FnG]magnolia]

A complicated man indeed. The last year or two in particular didn't paint him in a very good light but there's no denying how he - and his site - shaped internet culture.

Bad news. Truly something awful

:10bux:

 

[mjt]

Wow, so it turns out that he was directly responsible for the January 6 insurrection because he banned anime on SA, leading to the creation of 4chan.

And he was a domestic abuser who tried to get the mother of his child deported while she was staying in a domestic violence shelter. And now he’s killed himself after blowing through all his money so his ex-wife and kid couldn’t get their hands on it.

Creator of one of the most influential web sites ever, but a complete ****.

 

[[FnG]magnolia]

Goons are going to town on this. 6.8k replies to the thread over on SA and 780k views

Rating = gold which is both LOL but also LOL

 

[Rroff]

Oh wow - used to play Quake 3 with him back in 2001 or so a bit.

 

[mrk]

But did he have stairs in his house?

 

[[FnG]magnolia]

1.1m views and 10.3k replies to the SA thread

Goons have also set up a GoFundMe page for the children which is wholesome :thumbsup:

 

[hurfdurf]

It’s sad he’s dead, but I’m glad he’s gone.

When it all came out about how much of a horrid domestic abuser he was, despite his massive contribution to internet culture, he was a very awful person towards the end.

SA is still by far the best forum on the internet.