450 DEAR HACKER

450 DEAR HACKER

Dear 2600: The [September] DC 2600 meeting wrapped up a couple of days ago.

I thought I would share a little visit we had from the Secret Service! We can not confirm that it was the SS, but all evidence leads to that conclusion.

It started with some guys in sports jackets who kept walking by and sitting near us. Then, toward the end of the evening, a couple of guys in dark blue-collared t-shirts sat near us and seemed to look at us with

a lot of attention. Then they proceeded to move on. A little later, the same two were spotted on the level above us. Two more joined in, all dressed basically the same (dark blue-collared t-shirts). Boy, did they stick out like sore thumbs! We would occasionally stare directly at them, wave, etc. At one point we all stared at them! A couple of us got adventurous and moved to their level and closed in. One of us started chatting and he noticed “Secret Service” in small letters on one of their shirts. Then one of the guys asked if we knew anything about boxes that made beeps to get free calls. The meeting goer said something like “What’s a box? Beeps?” Then everyone at the meeting (who was still around) decided to relocate right next to the SS guys. After noticing the 5 to 1 against odds, they deduced that it was better to mosey on, which they did, and that was the last we saw of them!

Techno Caster

Dear 2600: At last I’ve found a niche. After being confused beyond belief by those

goons at PC Week and psyched out after thumbing through the pages of Mondo 2000, I’ve discovered that 2600 is where I belong.

I was at a bookstore, looking through gaming mags. Between a seri- ously misplaced Better Homes and Gardens, and a way outdated Electronic Gaming Monthly, I saw a torn page with the remnants of

A C U LT U R E O F R E B E L S

“The Hacker Quarterly.” My curiosity then got control of my body, and

I investigated further. Despite the crappy condition, I paid the four bucks. When I got to the counter, the clerk told me that the store would stop carrying 2600 with the next issue. Looking at my copy, I see that it is the Autumn issue. No doubt, by now the winter issue is out and

I have no place to look for it! At any rate, I sat down that night and couldn’t believe what I was reading. All this talk of telephone “tricks” with the use of electronic medium made me think to myself, “Self, this is cool stuff and I want more!” I’m now thinking of subscribing. I just have one question. How come a one year subscription costs 21 bucks, when cover price is 16?

Phord Prefect’s article on getting started really spurred me on. Being an extreme beginner, I have little or no knowledge of these “boxes” that everyone seems to be referring to. You should make a “guidebook” available for the price of a back issue. This book should explain what all current readers are assumed to know, so that we (new readers and novice phreaks) don’t go into this thing blind.

Kudos to Count Zero for his info on COCOTs. With his article, I was able to successfully build a combo box by making enhancements to an existing Radio Shack tone dialer. I had a hell of a time getting the materials, though. It would appear that Radio Shack employees are very reluctant to fork over their warez unless they know what they’re going to be used for. When they see a 14-year-old getting a pocket dialer, a mini toggle switch, and a little bit o’ wire, something must go off in their heads. My conversation:

Radio Shack Techie: So you’re into phones, huh? Me: Me? No, not really. Radio Shack Techie: Well, why’re you getting this? Me: It’s (hmm) a Christmas present(!) Radio Shack Salesperson: For who? Your dad? Me: (go to hell) No, my friend wanted me to pick it up for him; I

don’t know why. Radio Shack Techie: Well, you could do some pretty nasty stuff with

this thing if you know how to use it.