I started on the Internet in the (mid) 90s. Back then, it was already common among security conscious folks. A bit later, end 90s, you could buy a shell account for a couple of USD per month. You could run a BNC on it, or IRC client. It had various IPv4 with reverse DNS, this was called vhost. For example, you could end up with I.pwned.the.whole.eu.org and plays where TLD was part of word. Goatse.cx for example reads 'goatsex', Slashdot.org reads 'slashdotdotorg' or 'httpcolonslashslashslashdotdotorg', the founder of first Dutch consumer ISP Xs4all Rop Gonggrijp had gonggri.jp for ages (guess his email address). There are countless of examples.
I started on the Internet in the (mid) 90s. Back then, it was already common among security conscious folks. A bit later, end 90s, you could buy a shell account for a couple of USD per month. You could run a BNC on it, or IRC client. It had various IPv4 with reverse DNS, this was called vhost. For example, you could end up with I.pwned.the.whole.eu.org and plays where TLD was part of word. Goatse.cx for example reads 'goatsex', Slashdot.org reads 'slashdotdotorg' or 'httpcolonslashslashslashdotdotorg', the founder of first Dutch consumer ISP Xs4all Rop Gonggrijp had gonggri.jp for ages (guess his email address). There are countless of examples.