At ETech. Prep for Rael, Tim and Bruce Sterling at tonight’s opening sessions. A little history seemed in order. At a time when I hire anyone under 30 and they have *never* heard of 2600 nor phreakers nor captain crunch – I needed a refresher. The irony is much of what I learned CAME from folks younger than me. People with the courage not only to share information, but to share and teach with anyone who is curious regardless of age.
Bruce is the third speaker tonight, so this snippet from Gutenberg seemed appropriate (if bad PR <grin>)
CHRONOLOGY OF THE HACKER CRACKDOWN (from Bruce Sterling – Gutenberg Post)
1865 U.S. Secret Service (USSS) founded.
1876 Alexander Graham Bell invents telephone.
1878 First teenage males flung off phone system by enraged authorities.
1939 "Futurian" science-fiction group raided by Secret Service.
1971 Yippie phone phreaks start YIPL/TAP magazine.
1972 RAMPARTS magazine seized in blue-box rip-off scandal.
1978 Ward Christenson and Randy Suess create first personal
computer bulletin board system.
1982 William Gibson coins term "cyberspace."
1982 "414 Gang" raided.
1983-1983 AT&T dismantled in divestiture.
1984 Congress passes Comprehensive Crime Control Act giving USSS
jurisdiction over credit card fraud and computer fraud.
1984 "Legion of Doom" formed.
1984. 2600: THE HACKER QUARTERLY founded.
(more)
Hopefully messing around at the Make session won’t get anyone arrested for phone tampering.
The panda picture? From the San Diego zoo earlier today.