Re: Mini-shell, hackers, HD disks

Article: 8871 of alt.hackers
From: David R Schwanke <dscw+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Newsgroups: alt.hackers
Subject: Re: Mini-shell, hackers, HD disks
Date: Tue, 17 Oct 1995 12:34:33 -0400
Organization: Sophomore, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Carnegie Mellon,
Pittsburgh, PA
Lines: 53
Approved: paketrat@rawdata.hyperbolic.org
Message-ID: QkUxgNa00iVGM4r58k@andrew.cmu.edu
NNTP-Posting-Host: andrew.cmu.edu
In-Reply-To: <45m8gv$a2d@tadpole.fc.hp.com>
Status: RO

Excerpts from netnews.alt.hackers: 13-Oct-95 Mini-shell, hackers, HD
disks by David Ljung@fc.hp.com
> hackers:        people who enjoy looking at systems and finding the
loopholes
>                 and corner cases and ways around that system.

I myself would add people who research and learn about topics that havent
been done before (or that have so little that its unheard of).

Me and a friend were able to "research" the internals of the
Traffic Control
Boxes that are outside of every traffic light in the US.  We werent being
mallicious, about the only thing that may be considered malicious were the
borrowing of certain reading material. However this reading material was
well of 15 years old and with that much dust layered on it.  We had no
intent of shutting down all the lights on mainstreet or something like that
but it is really interesting how much shit goes into them. (And how
pathetically simple some of it is)

On a side note, my Computer Engineering couse this semester uses those
systems (though not actual ones, just the concept) as a basis for the book.
Our research has shown that the book is getting closer to the mark then most
people think.  :)

It scares me that the devices that could cause two tractortrailers full of
rocketfuel to collide havent been opened for several years, (counted by the
number of layers of paint on locks and hinges) and are using technology that
is 20+ years old. ESPECIALLY since the components within (except for the
newer ones) are of the type that DO go bad simply because of the age in
which they were created.

#ifndefine OBHACK
#define OBHACK
Modifying the source for the Latest Linux kernal so it will compile for
my soundcard. Unfortunately it still doesnt work, but atleast now it
compiles.  Keep in mind that this is my first real life test of programming
skills and learning make files AND learning compiler operatives.

Researching CopyRight laws to get around my Proffessors wishes to not have
his notes on the web. UpComming, a virtual library. "Real in that only one
copy may be borrowed at a time."

Friend of mine completely rewrote LILO to get 4 hds to work with linux. IN
HEX. (Loaded it debugged it, saved it, ran it, repeat) Shit blew my mind.

Burned out power connectors on XT power supply. Now have two power supplies
running one Xt.

Working with a female friend from the Art Department to get a new musical
instrument working. Ok, that was just an application of basic Electrical
Engineering, but hey, my first "real" project!

Back to index