20 replies to this topic

[HoppingGoblin]

I'll save everyone some time and put it this way, I started for mostly the wrong reasons but am relieved I changed my reasons from (ooh! free phone calls!) to (ooh! How does this work?). Aside from my first few months of delving into phreaking it's never been about the free calls but rather about trying to find exploits just for the hell of it as well as gaining a better knowledge of how the amazing system that's in place actually fits together.

-HG

[White_Raven]

Back in the day I started with phones becuase I didnt have a computer but wanted to learn about something that was a large topic that I didnt understand.. this was years and years ago, even before I met ic0n when I was in collage and he was doing the ic0n & Jay thing, way before LPH and such, and since then I have gone by several handles through the years.

Even if I had gotton free long distance I still would have learned about ring and tip, ani, anac, CO, and the rest.. Im a better person for knowing about it and it even helps with my computer studies sometimes to have that foundation... phreaking is not dead, its just used differently in this day and age.

[dual]

Just today, a friend told me that phreaks were considered terrorists by the DoJ.

Phreaks!? Terrorists!?!

Hardly. The worst "phreaks" only care about toll fraud. Real phreaks have the enlightened view collectively posted above.

Phreaking was never dead. In fact, I think there's a new renaissance...

[Spaz101]

I started because I thought it was "free calls "and "boxes" but now I look back and laugh at my former self... I spit at the people who think its about free calls (except for the starters... youd expect it from them) but now I like to make things and invent so I learn as much as possible about how the stuff works (well suck as a fone) just to make stuff to go with it, of course their is the occational linemen's nite out and well thats all fine and dandy

Spaz

[Captain B]

My route to becomming a phreaker was a much different one than most. I was on this short-lived (and quite LaMe) on-line video game service called X-band (for Genesis and SNES). It was there where I first was introduced to the whol concept of "phreaking". Only, back then (which was Jan '96) I hadn't even heard the term phreaking. On these things they called info screens, or whatever they were called, people were supposed to put a few things about themselves. You know, live fave hobbies, music, whatever. But, most people seem to use them for other things. Including promoting their illegitly h4x0red into SkyTel pagers and voice mail boxes. I figured out, though trial and error, about what key you press to bring up the "log in" prompt, and found a pager that I got into using the last 4 digits of the toll free number. Eventually, (years later) I moved onto corporate Voice mail systems like Audix, Meridian mail, phone mail, partner mail VS, verbatim, and a ton of others. Also, from time to time, I found myself on some free legit VM systems like College Club (Back when they had voice mail) Echo Buzz, E-touch, E-voice, Yahoo mail by phone, OneBox, U-reach, and much more. But, those always either stopped being free, or removed an important key feature or 2. For instance, with College Club, it also allowed you to listen to Email by phone. The number used to be 888-Email Me. It even had group voice mail for the groups on there.

[Spaz101]

Quiet a bit there about your life, well your right that is a different path than many of us took... well like many people it went from computers to phreaking (or vise versa)

[Captain B]

Yeah but, although the path was different, I enjoyed the trip, and the "scenery" along the way. Well, at least looking back on it now, I guess I do. And, It's a shame about the demise of X band. But, after all, nothing is forever.

[Y0ungBra1n]

Hey man, I am a newB and have never had a better time in my life until I started phreaking. This subject is amazing to me, and in my 6 months of knowing what the word phreak ment, I still do not care if I get a free phone call or not. The knowledge I can gain from this stuff is amazing. I never new half of what I know now about fones and many other topics. All in all, phreaking is probably one of the best things that has happend to me!

~~Y0ungBra1n

[ic0n]

I started phreaking after i came acrossed a Nationwide paging and voicemail system. (skytel) I soon setup an account with collegeclub and talked to other phreaks. But i do have to say that Captain_b had quite a bit to do with the starting of my phreak life.


Oh yeah btw C_B do you remember when we got them 866 vmbs with free long distance because we where beta testers... If i remeber correctly i've been phreaking for about 5 years here in the next month or so...

Now if i could only find more time to get online

[ragweed]

cause i like to take things apart and play with them and phones are everywhere

[Spaz101]

ic0n you are kind of an insperation to myself heh... well not really but i do enjoy your writing and heh talking to you... you just bring hard subjects down to a simple level

[phreakblaze]

I started when i said to my self one day "there has to be more i can do without money on a payphone!" Sadly, i started after the age of the blue box or in 2001, but that is an age thats gone and now its time for a new age with new fun for phreaks!!! I have evolved from the thought of only getting free calls. I want to know everything about the phone system and i'm on my way!!

[Spaz101]

i find it interesting that your just a few buttons from virtualy anyone in the world

[phreakblaze]

You got a point there Spaz101

[Captain B]

Some only cheat themselves by worrying about how many pHr33 ph0ne calls can be made, just as some so-called "hackers" focus so much on how many credit card numbers they can either steal, or generate with their little CC generator warez. But, to me, hacking/phreaking is about understanding as much about how a given technology, or group of technologies works as well as humanly possible. Not necessarily solely for the purpose of exploiting that technologies flaws, security weeknesses, glitches, etc. But rather more for the purpose of learning, and bettering yourself through the knowledge gleaned. Or, as I prefer to refer to this process "evolving" as a hacker or phreaker.

[Captain B]

BTW, thanks for giving the masses a bit more insight on how I helped impact your involvement with the fine art of pHr33x0riNg. It's been a long hard road for yours truly in SO MANY wayz. And yet, I still realize that I'm not the best at this shhtuff. But, I realize everything takes time.

[Spaz101]

hey sence your poor and a genious well at least when you talk online... and if you need a place to live come live with me heh i need a nother smart person in this house (excluding me and my father) just as long as you dont try to get me to wear thoes diapers of your heh jush playin with ya bud

[Captain B]

Heh, heh. No of course not. I realize full well that "my thing" Isn't for everyone. So, It's all goo as far as that goos, err, I mean goes. I sure hope you wouldn't mind being around me when... umm... shall we say... nature calls. Heh, heh. But, It's so ironic you mention about come out your way to hang with you, because, I may have a tricky choice to make over this summer. I may be coming into some ca$h, and I'm trying to decide whether to finally get a PC, or take a trip to another part of the country. Even for that, I'm not sure if it would be to either Dallas or Kentucky. Either place would be FAR better than here. BTW, I'm no genius. I just try to do the best with what little grey matter the big guy upstairs gave me. In fact, I hate to say it, but I don't exactly see myself as being the sharpest knife in the drawer, so to speak.