Last week Freecode Freshmeat was converted to an all static site and effectively shutdown:
The Freecode site has been moved to a static state effective June 18, 2014 due to low traffic levels and so that folks will focus on more useful endeavors than site upkeep.
While I have a strong sentimental feeling towards Freshmeat, it has been years since I’ve actually used the site for anything.
A few memories of freshmeat.net from Jeff Covey.
Eric Raymond follows up that story with background about why VA Linux purchased Andover:
In fact, buying Slashdot was my idea, and I had a solid reason for proposing it.
…
the U.S.’s crazy accounting rules more or less forced us to do an acquisition to maintain our valuation.
…
Then I said “At Linux conferences, think about which of these crews our people puppy-pile with on the beanbag chairs.” Light began to dawn on several faces. “The Slashdot guys. It has to be Andover, ” I said.
Eric Raymond ( ESR ) is the same person who wrote this rather odd announcement that the VA Linux IPO made him rich. It reads just as strange now, 15 years later, as it did back then. I hope he sold most it soon after that, because it went on to tank hard.