Before there were hackers there were technology gurrellias like Cap't Crunch (aka John Draper)who invented the Blue Box, which was follwed by the black box and red box. Simple electronic beepers that when sent through the primitive switching technology of the seventies Tele Coms allowed you free long distance calls. It was promoted by the Yippies and by TAP .
The Youth International Party Line (YIPL; later, the name was changed to TAP for Technological American Party or Technological Assistance Program), started by Hoffman and Al Bell in June 1971 was the pioneer phreak magazine.
We were known as phone phreaks. Every time Tel Com security found a way to block the tones, a new box was invented. Thus hacking was born. Pre-PC pre-Internet.
Why Cap'n Crunch?
John Draper once gained fame (and prison sentences) from his skills in manipulating the telephone system. His "handle" came from the inclusion of a plastic whistle in Captain Crunch cereal in the 1960's which could, with proper manipulation, send out a control tone that would affect telephone systems of the time.
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