An interview with PUDDiNG
(self-proclaimed hacker/phreaker)
by The Kid

The Kid: Good afternoon, PUDDiNG. PUDDiNG: ummm, hi TK: You're 13 years old, is that right? P: Yeah. TK: I'm curious, where did you get the nickname PUDDiNG? And why the lowercase i? P: Ya know that Primus song? Pudding Time? That's where I got it. TK: And the lowercase i? P: Umm...I dunno. People just do that. Iike this guy I know WyReHeAd. TK: A friend of yours? P: Yeah He showed me how to phreak. TK: I'm sorry, what's 'phreaking'? P: It's where you get free long distance so you can call elect bulletin boards in California. TK: I see. I assume phreaking is illegal. P: Yeah, but it's OK cuz I'm stickin' it to Ma Bell. TK: Right. So you phreak with more of a political motive? P: uhhh sure *PUDDING chuckles uncomfortably and turns a bit red at this point* TK: What is it about 'Ma Bell' that makes you feel that this is OK? P: Ummm. Like, the phone companies are all rich n' stuff and like they just rip everybody off. *PUDDING shifts in his chair and looks around the room* TK: So do you see yourself as a Robin Hood figure? P: I dunno, I just like to stick it to The Man. *PUDDiNG grins eagerly* TK: I see. So is phreaking difficult? Did it take you a long time to learn how to do it? P: Not really, there's this huge record and video store on 21st street called 'Movies at Home and Music' and you can buy "2600" and "Phrack" there. You can do lots of stuff with those. TK: What are "2600" and "Phrack"? P: They're hacking and phreaking magazines. TK: Hacking in the computer sense? P: Yeah...they also tell you how to steal stuff too, like break into buildings and stuff. TK: Do these magazines encourage this kind of behavior? P: Naw...they even tell you all the time "Don't try this at home", but like, I'm sure they know that people use the stuff they have in there, it's just legal crap so they can't be held responsible. TK: Have you ever used any of the information in these magazines? P: Yeah, I built a redbox the other day

TK: I'm not sure what that means. *PUDDiNG's eyes get bigger and he starts speaking more excitedly* P: Well, I took a Hallmark card, ya know, the ones you talk into and it records your voice. And I recorded the tones that a payphone makes when you drop a quarter in so I could get free phone calls from payphones. TK: Have you used it? P: Well, I tried it last night but it didn't work. TK: Why not? P: I dunno. TK: Have you used any of the information in "2600" or "Phrack" successfully? P: ummm... *PUDDiNG remains quiet for several seconds* P: No. TK: Do you suppose that publishing information like this might be counterproductive, considering that 'Ma Bell' could buy "2600" as easily as you can. P: Yeah, but they're so dumb they prolly don't even know that "2600" exists. TK: So you don't think it's possible that someone at the phone company read "2600" and changed the payphones so redboxes would no longer work? P: I dunno, maybe. TK: It just seems a little odd for a group of Saboteurs to publish their methods in a magazine. P: Ummm. I gotta go. TK: Indeed. Thank you for your time.