FAIR ENOUGH. BUT HERE"S THE POINT. DIFFERENT STROKES FOR DIF- FERENT FOLKS. AND IT JUST SO HAPPENS THAT PEOPLE WHO LIKE TO PLAY WITH COMPUTERS ARE CALLED HACKERS. IT"S AN OLD TERM FROM THE 60"S FROM THE COLLEGES, AND AT THAT TIME IT WASN"T DEROGATO- RY. IT DIDN"T HAVE THE SAME NEGATIVE CONNOTATIONS THAT IT DOES TODAY THANKS TO YOU. HACKERS ARE JUST A BUNCH OF PEOPLE WHO PLAY WITH COMPUTERS INSTEAD OF CARS, BOATS, AIRPLANES, SPORTS OR WHATEVER. THAT"S IT, PURE AND SIMPLE.

Ok, let"s accept that for now. What about those stories of hackers running around inside of everybody else"s computers and making computer viruses and all. Morris and Chase were hackers who caused a bunch of damage.

WHOA! TWO SEPARATE ISSUES. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF HACKERS WHO DO GO PROBING AND LOOKING AROUND OTHER PEOPLE"S COMPUTERS. AND I AM PROUD TO ADMIT THAT I AM ONE OF THEM.

Wait a minute. You first say that hackers are the guys in the white hats and then you admit that you are one of those criminal types who invades the privacy of others.

THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LOOKING AROUND A COMPUTER READING ITS FILES AND DESTROYING THEM. I REMEMBER READING ABOUT THIS GUY WHO BROKE INTO PEOPLE"S HOUSES WHEN THEY WERE OUT OF TOWN. HE LIVED IN THEIR HOUSE UNTIL THEY CAME BACK AND THEN LEFT. HE USED THEIR FOOD, THEIR TV, THEIR SHOWER AND ALL, BUT NEVER STOLE ANYTHING OR DID ANY DAMAGE. THAT"S KINDA WHAT HACK- ERS DO.

Why? For the thrill?

OH, I GUESS THAT MAY BE PART OF IT, BUT IT"S REALLY MORE THAN THAT. IT"S A THIRST, AT LEAST FOR ME, FOR KNOWLEDGE.

That"s a line of c.r.a.p.

REALLY. LET"S COMPARE. LET"S SAY I WAS WORKING IN A GARAGE AND I WAS CAR ENTHUSIAST BUT I DIDN"T OWN AND COULDN"T AFFORD A FERRARI. SO, DURING THE DAY WHEN MY CUSTOMERS ARE AT WORK, I TAKE THEIR CARS OUT FOR A RIDE . . .AND I EVEN REPLACE THE GAS.

I DO IT FOR THE THRILL OF THE RIDE, NOT FOR THE THRILL OF THE CRIME.

So you admit hacking is a crime?

NO NO NO NO. AGREED, ENTERING SOME COMPUTERS IS CONSIDERED A CRIME IN SOME STATES, BUT IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, IF YOU LEAVE YOUR COMPUTER Pa.s.sWORD TAPED TO THE BOTTOM OF YOUR DESK DRAWER YOU CAN GO TO JAIL. I BET YOU DIDN"T KNOW THAT.

You made that up.

CHECK IT OUT. I DON"T KNOW THE LEGAL JARGON, BUT IT"S TRUE.

THE ISSUE IS, FOR THE GUY WHO DRIVES PEOPLE"S CARS WITHOUT THEIR PERMISSION, THAT IS REALLY A CRIME. I GUESS A GRAND FELONY.

RIGHT? EVEN IF HE DOES NOTHING BUT DRIVE IT AROUND THE BLOCK.

BUT WITH COMPUTERS IT"S DIFFERENT.

How is it different?

FIRST THERE"S NO THEFT.

What about theft of service?

ARGUABLE.

Breaking and entering.

NOT ACCORDING TO MY FRIEND. HIS FATHER IS A LAWYER.

But, you have to admit, you are doing it without permission.

NO, NOT REALLY.

Aw, come on.

LISTEN. LET"S SAY THAT YOU LIVE IN A HOUSE.

Nice place to make a home.

AND LET"S SAY THAT YOU AND YOUR NEIGHBORS DECIDE TO LEAVE THE KEYS TO YOUR HOUSES ON THE CURB OF YOUR STREET EVERY DAY. EVEN WHEN YOU"RE HOME. SO THAT ANYONE WHO COMES ALONG CAN PICK UP THE KEYS AND WALK INTO YOUR HOUSE ANYTIME THEY WANT TO.

That"s crazy.

OF COURSE IT IS. BUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF YOU DID THAT AND THEN YOUR HOUSE GOT BROKEN INTO AND YOU WERE ROBBED?

I guess the police would figure me for a blithering idiot, a candidate for the funny farm, and my insurance company might have reason not to pay me after they canceled me. So what?

THAT"S WHAT I DO. AND THAT"S WHAT MY FRIENDS DO. WE LOOK AROUND FOR PEOPLE WHO LEAVE THE KEYS TO THEIR COMPUTERS LYING AROUND FOR ANYONE TO PICK UP. WHEN WE FIND A SET OF KEYS, WE USE THEM.

It can"t be that simple. No one would leave keys lying around for hackers.

WRONGO MEDIA BREATH. IT"S ABSURDLY SIMPLE. I DON"T KNOW OF VERY MANY COMPUTERS THAT I CAN"T GET INTO. SOME PEOPLE CALL IT BREAK- ING AND ENTERING. I CALL IT A WELCOME MAT. IF YOU DON"T WANT ME IN YOUR COMPUTER, THEN DON"T LEAVE THE FRONT DOOR OPEN.

If what you"re saying is true . . .

IT IS. COMPLETELY. I HAVE THE KEYS TO HUNDREDS OF COMPUTERS AROUND THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD. AND ONE WAY OR ANOTHER THE KEYS WERE ALL LEFT LYING IN THE STREET. SO I USED THEM TO HAVE A LOOK AROUND.

I don"t know if I buy this. But, for now, I"ll put that aside.

So, where do these hacker horrors come from?

AGAIN LET"S COMPARE. IF YOU LEFT YOUR KEYS IN FRONT OF YOUR HOUSE AND HALF OF YOUR TOWN KNEW IT AND 100 PEOPLE WENT INTO YOUR HOUSE TO LOOK AROUND, HOW MANY WOULD STAY HONEST AND JUST LOOK?

Not many I guess.

BUT WITH HACKERS, THERE"S A CODE OF ETHICS THAT MOST OF US LIVE BY. BUT AS IN ANY GROUP OR SOCIETY THERE ARE A FEW BAD APPLES AND THEY GIVE THE REST OF US A BAD NAME. THEY GET A KICK OUT OF HURTING OTHER PEOPLE, OR STEALING, OR WHATEVER. HERE"S ANOTHER SOMETHING FOR YOUR FILE. EVERY COMPUTER SYSTEM IN THE COUNTRY HAS BEEN ENTERED BY HACKERS. EVERY SINGLE ONE.

That"s impossible.

TRY ME. I"VE BEEN INTO OVER A THOUSAND MYSELF AND THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF GUYS LIKE ME. AT LEAST I"M HONEST.

Why should I believe that?

WE"RE TALKING AREN"T WE.

Throw me off the track.

I COULD HAVE IGNORED YOU. I"M UNTRACEABLE.

By the way, what"s your name.

CAPTAIN KIRK.

No, really.

REALLY. ON BBS THAT"S MY ONLY NAME.

How can I call you?