blog.edwilde.com - The Blog of Ed Wilde

This is a superb epitaph to the computer software cracker. Wonderfully accurate, moving and troubling in some respects. This was written in the early days with BBS sysops and when phreakers ruled the phone lines. The piece is undated unfortunatly, but I would guess by the language and refrances it is early 90's. I quote a few select paragraphs…

Decryption and un-protection are his only goals. He does not care what the disk contains or how useful the program may be; breaking the code is far more challenging to him that completing ZORK III. He broke the ZORK series, but never played them. His purpose in life has become all-encompassing. He will get sick from lack of rest; he will have marathon sessions trying to undo the last protection check in the program, and, when he finally has reached his goal, he will experience post-partum depression.

He is not after money, he is not after fame. He just wants to prove to himself that he is more intelligent that the one who devised the protection scheme in the first place. He will relate his exploits to a very close circle of friends at the club, and, because they listened, he will give them copies.

He knows he will never get caught. He knows that, in reality, the ever-increasing complaints of software manufacturers, and programmers whose wealth and luxury are threatened by his actions, are but a reflection on their inability to effectively protect their treasures. He knows that if one man can do it, another man can undo it. He knows that computers have rules that must be obeyed, and that all bootable disks must start the same way. That is enough of a crack for him to get through.

You have to read the full piece to get the actual jist, it isnt all fun and games…

Complete Epitaph Here