Esquire magazine 1971, Ron Rosebaum - phone phreaking (blue-boxing)

[gpo706]

Sent this link by a mate who is into computing.

I loathe computers, coz I'm an analogue guy, so he can fiddle with his and lets me know if any old tech stuff he sees on the net!

http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/the_spectator/2011/10/the_article_that_inspired_steve_jobs_secrets_of_the_little_blue_.single.html

Its a very long article, but most interesting, "Captain Crunch" anyone?

[GG]

Crunch, aka John Draper, eventually got so notorious that he got busted, and instead of the normal "slap on the wrist" routine, they threw the book at him.

While in prison, other inmates wanted the alleged secret of remote-control wiretaps via telco test trunks. 

Draper held out and said there was no such thing.

For which a prison gang arranged to break his back.

Word to the wise: DON'T mess around with illegal stuff.  Nowadays there are no more "slap on the wrist" routines.  Every phone phreak bust is a potential prison sentence, because as far as law enforcement is concerned, you're not some harmless critter who likes to trespass on under-utilized trunks, you're "tech support" for organized crime or terrorists. 

Stick with C*NET, the new playground for phone phreaks that's wholly within the law.