Beyond Hope Frequently Asked Questions -------------------------------------- Version 8 Posting-Frequency: Whenever Last Modified: 16 July 1997 Maintained by: [general] Emmanuel Goldstein [hope.net] Marko Bukvic Beyond Hope is almost here! 1.0 General Information 1.1 What is Beyond Hope? 1.2 Who is organizing it? 1.3 What will be discussed at Beyond Hope? 1.4 How can I help? 1.5 Is it worth coming to Beyond Hope when I don't know anything about computers? 1.6 HIP 1.7 Press 2.0 Practical Info 2.1 How do I get to the Puck Building? 2.2 Are there any hotels or restaurants nearby? 2.3 What kind of weather conditions can I expect? 3.0 Buying a ticket for Beyond Hope 3.1 Entrance Fee 3.2 Free admission for overseas visitors 3.3 How can I buy a ticket in advance? 3.4 Food, drinks, etc. 3.5 Merchandise 4.0 The Beyond Hope Network 4.0.1 General Info 4.1.0 What will I need to connect to the Beyond Hope network? 4.1.1 What kind of operating systems can/may we use? 4.1.2 I haven't got an ethernet card. Should I get one? 4.1.3 Can you guys lend me an ethernet card? 4.1.4 Will anyone be able to use the network? 4.1.5 What kind of network will it be? 4.1.6 Where will I be able to plug into the network? 4.1.7 How are we going to know what services are available on the BHN? 4.1.8 What are the requirements for plugging into the BHN? 4.1.9 How many IP addresses will be provided for each person? 4.2.0 Tell us a little about the hope.net machine. 4.3.0 What about the public terminals? 4.3.1 What if all public terminals and computers are in use? 4.3.2 If I bring my own computer will I have to let other people use it? 4.4.0 Are we going to get connectivity to the BHN from our hotel rooms? 4.4.1 Will there be any multi-player games going on? 4.4.2 Are any network applications going to be provided to attendees? 4.4.3 Is it ok for me to exercise a denial of service attack on a machine within the BHN and/or outside the BHN or even the BHN itself? 4.4.4 Is it OK to hack other machines on the BHN? 4.5.0 I've got a lot of hardware that I can bring to Hope. Is there anything you specifically need that maybe I can lend you? 5.0 Miscellaneous 5.1 What else will be going on in New York City that weekend? 5.2 What is not allowed 5.3 New York City 6.0 Stay informed 6.1 How can I get the latest news on Beyond Hope? 6.2 How can I contact the people behind Beyond Hope? 7.0 Notes for Overseas Travellers (United Kingdom) 7.0.1 Passport 7.0.2 Visas 7.0.3 Travel Insurance 7.0.4 Travel Arrangements 7.0.5 Currency 7.0.6 Bank information 1.0 General Information 1.1 What is Beyond Hope? Beyond Hope is the sequel to 1994's Hackers On Planet Earth conference, a much heralded event in New York City that attracted around 1300 people. We expect even more people this time around and a lot more technical fun as things have advanced quite a bit in this brief time. Beyond Hope will take place on August 8th, 9th, and 10th, 1997 at the Puck Building in downtown New York City. Everyone is welcome to bring their own computer equipment so we can create one of the largest ethernets ever to be constructed at a hacker convention. People from all over the world will congregate to talk about new technologies, threats to privacy, and the latest hacker tricks. There will be all kinds of panels, lectures, and informal workshops, as well as demonstrations of some really amazing pieces of technology. And the diversity and around the clock atmosphere of New York City will surround the festivities. In addition to what can be learned from the "official" functions of Beyond Hope, there will be an almost infinite potential to learn from the fascinating people who will attend from all four corners of the globe. Many new friendships and connections were established at the 1994 conference - we expect this to happen even more this time around. You will experience Major Hacking firsthand. 1.2 Who is organizing it? 2600 Magazine came upon the scene back in 1984 when computer hacking was just beginning to hit the mainstream. Phone phreaks had already been around for some time and their newsletter (TAP) had published its last issue. Before long, 2600 had turned into the closest thing to an official mouthpiece that the hacker community ever had. We've published articles on hacking all kinds of computer systems and been threatened with lawsuits from some pretty impressive corporations. Government agencies in many nations try to subscribe secretly and take great pleasure in seizing copies of the magazine from suspected computer miscreants. Over the years, 2600 meetings have popped up in cities all over the globe, always on the same day of the month - something that greatly annoyed those authorities who wanted to monitor all of our meetings at once. In 1994, 2600 celebrated its 10th anniversary by having the first HOPE conference. Beyond Hope is either a celebration of 13 years of 2600 or 3 years since HOPE. Your choice. 1.3 What will be discussed at Beyond Hope? The conference itself will be a very fine balance between people who know so much they can be considered a national threat and those who are terminally curious and never know when to stop asking questions. Look for lots of talk on how to secure your privacy through encryption and what the governments of the world are doing to stop you. New forms of communication such as GSM phones will also be thoroughly explored. The future of credit cards and the transformation to chip cards is something a great many of us take an interest in. And, for many, the topic of just what is a hacker will be an educational experience. If you're not a hacker, prepare to have a lot of myths dispelled. In particular, we will have a media panel where the tables will be turned. The hackers will question the reporters. And, to make the media circus even more complete, expect a thorough demonstration of what pirate radio is all about and how the tables can be turned. In addition, there will be a live broadcast of the hacker radio show "Off The Hook" from the conference site beamed out to the entire New York metropolitan area in which attendees can participate. This only scratches the surface - we are still working on the latest in surveillance and monitoring technology as well as talks from some of the most famous and talented hackers on the planet. The many uses and abuses of the Internet, stories from the past, and where it's all going will be explored in great detail. See the web as you've never seen it before. Learn about the growing role of censorship and how to fight it. And if the phone companies of the world interest you, expect to be overloaded with information on how they operate. We should stress, there will be much more. 1.4 How can I help? While we are organizing the conference, it's really run by the participants. You are the people who will make this an historic event that will be remembered for many years. You can help to achieve this by coming with an open mind, bringing as many interesting bits of technology as you can, telling us if you have something unique or interesting that you'd like to do, and spreading the word to other people you think will gain from or contribute to Beyond Hope. Check the Beyond Hope Ride Board on our web site (www.hope.net) if you need a ride or can offer one. Above all else, remember that this is a fun environment and that we're all here to learn and share our knowledge. 1.5 Is it worth coming to Beyond Hope when I don't know anything about computers? Of course! What kind of a stupid question is that anyway? Seriously, this is not a conference with an elitist attitude - we all knew nothing at one point and a lot of us forget this. Beyond Hope is for those interested in learning and teaching. And hackers can make the best teachers because we don't get bogged down in all those troublesome rules.... 1.6 HIP Beyond Hope is being organized in conjunction with Hacking In Progress (HIP), a Dutch hacker conference occurring at the exact same time. We are coordinating connectivity between the two conferences and expect to have at least one real time panel between both sides of the Atlantic. This is the first time two hacker conferences have worked together in this way. You can get more info on HIP at: http://www.hip97.nl/ 1.7 Press We welcome the press but there are some things we must point out. The entrance fee is as cheap as we can possibly make it and that is based on everybody paying, including press, volunteers, and staff. There are no exceptions to this and the reason is simple. We want to make sure that everyone who wants to attend is able to get in. It's not fair to have paying attendees waiting in line while complimentary admissions enjoy the conference. While we welcome the press, the conference is being put on for the attendees and they are our primary concern. We also need to point out that while there will be a great many people in attendance, we still expect privacy to be respected if someone requests not to be photographed or taped. There will also be some areas off limits to the press and we trust this will be respected as well. For those of you who need to get receipts in order to get reimbursed, just let us know. 2.0 Practical Info 2.1 How do I get to the Puck Building? >From the airports: From all three airports (Kennedy, LaGuardia, Newark) you can either take a cab or bus to the city - from Kennedy you can take a free bus to the subway and take the A train into Manhattan for $1.50. To get to the Puck Building in this manner, take the A train to West 4th in Manhattan and transfer to a Brooklyn bound B, D, F, or Q train for one stop to Broadway/Lafayette. If you take a bus, see the directions below from the Port Authority. By car: We'll assume you can find New York City on your own. Once you're actually over the bridge or through the tunnel, head for Houston Street, just south of 1st Street. The conference takes place on the southeast corner of Houston and Lafayette. There are parking garages in the neighborhood and many nearby streets allow free parking from Friday evening through the weekend. (A handy safety tip: it's not a good idea in any neighborhood to unload computer equipment from your car and then leave it parked. Somehow people get the impression that there might be more still in your car.) By train (AMTRAK, LIRR, Metro North, New Jersey Transit, PATH): From Penn Station, take the A train downtown to West 4th, transfer to a Brooklyn bound B, D, F, or Q train for one stop to Broadway/Lafayette. From Grand Central, take the 6 train downtown to Bleecker Street. By bus: From the Port Authority Bus Terminal, take the A train downtown to West 4th, transfer to a Brooklyn bound B,D, F, or Q for one stop to Broadway/Lafayette. 2.2 Are there any hotels or restaurants nearby? You must be joking. This is New York City! There is every possible combination of anything you could ever want within walking distance at any time of the day or night! Sheesh. The Puck Building is not a hotel, which we believe will make the conference itself a lot more interesting. We've compiled a list of places to stay in the city, ranging in price from $40 a night on up. We suggest the following: the YMCA at 215 W 23rd Street between 7th and 8th Avenues (212-741-9226) - rooms start at $40 and there are no age restrictions; Off Soho Suites Hotel on 11 Rivington Street. This hotel is only a couple of blocks away from the Puck Building and you can get European style suites, complete with kitchens, for a low price. A suite for 2 is $89, for 4 it's $149. They also have a location on East 12th Street off 3rd Avenue. Both of these hotels don't have a huge number of rooms so we suggest making reservations quickly (212-979-9808); Howard Johnson on 429 Park Avenue South between 29th and 30th Streets (212- 532-4860) - rooms start at around $100 a night; and Holiday Inn at 132 Lafayette Street (212-966-8898) - rooms are around the $150 level. You may find these places sold out by the time you get around to making reservations. Don't panic! There are more hotels in New York than we can count and the worst things that can happen are that you will have to pay a little more (only if you don't shop around) or take the subway an extra stop or two. Here are some helpful alternatives: Chelsea International Hostel: (212) 647-0010 AYH Hostel: (212) 932-2300 Manhattan East Suite Hotels 1-800-637-8483 or (212) 465-3690 Holland Motor Lodge (New Jersey near PATH train) 1-800-329- 7519 or (201) 963-6200 Washington Square Hotel 1-800-222-0418 or (212) 777-9515 Hotel Deauville 1-800-333-8843 or (212) 683-0990 Discount Hotel Rates 1-800-709-7666 Madison Hotel 1-800-9MADISON Roger Williams Hotel (212) 684-7500 Americana Hotel (212) 545-1800 Elton Hotel (212) 686-6327 and these familiar chains: Best Western: 1-800-528-1234 Helmsley Hotels: (212) 697-8300 Hilton: 1-800-445-8667 Holiday Inn: 1-800-HOLIDAY Howard Johnson: 1-800-426-4656 Hyatt Hotels: 1-800-233-1234 Marriott: 1-800-228-9290 Sheraton: 1-800-325-3535 Prices vary wildly. Remember, the cost of a room is lessened significantly if you split it with other people. Bring sleeping bags to increase your flexibility. As for restaurants, the conference is in what we consider to be the best part of town: lively, inexpensive, and just plain fun. We have a growing guide to restaurants and other places to go on our web site (www.hope.net), all within easy walking distance of Beyond Hope. At the conference itself we will have this information available as a handout. 2.3 What kind of weather conditions can I expect? August tends to be hot and muggy at least part of the time in New York. However, air conditioning is very common for those of you who don't dig the heat. And, yes, Beyond Hope has more than adequate a/c. 3.0 Buying a ticket for Beyond Hope 3.1 Entrance Fee We're happy to be charging the least amount ever for a major hacker convention - it's even cheaper than our first conference! The entire weekend is yours for a mere $20. This entitles you to get into the conference, see the panels, participate in the network, and see our many displays. The conference opens at 6 pm on Friday evening with an informal program of videos and other fun. Friday is mostly a setup day and the evening will be devoted to getting everything up and running. The official start of the conference is noon on Saturday, August 9. If you haven't pre-registered or come by on Friday, we suggest showing up at 10 am to register. The program runs at least until midnight on Saturday and Sunday. 3.2 Free admission for overseas visitors If saving twenty bucks is enough incentive to get someone to travel overseas to Beyond Hope, then we're happy to provide it. Judging from the response, we will have quite a large number of people from other lands in attendance. But a word of caution: this special deal only applies to people from continents other than North America. You will have to show a foreign passport and not be living in this or any other North American country. This is something we're doing to help out people who've come a long way to be here - we ask that you not abuse this. 3.3 How can I buy a ticket in advance? It's too late, forget it. The deadline was July 15, 1997 so there would be a good chance you wouldn't get your verification in time. But don't fret. The price remains the same. You just might have to wait in the Beyond Hope Registration Line. We promise it won't be as bad as the first time we did this. Really. 3.4 Food, drinks, etc. We'll have a variety of drinks and snacks available at the conference. And if you don't like what we've got, there's this sorta large city surrounding us. 3.5 Merchandise In addition to more 2600 paraphernalia than you could imagine, there will be people of all shapes and sizes peddling hacker and non-hacker material ranging from publications to shirts to hardware and software. If you want to do this yourself, we ask that you let us know in advance and give us a couple of free items. 4.0 The Beyond Hope Network {} 4.0.1 General Info Like the first HOPE conference, Beyond Hope will be wired to the rest of the world using different kinds of networks. Because of the nature of the event, this will not be an easy task. We are already planning and working with lots of people to get the job done. But only with the help of all participants coming to Beyond Hope will it be possible to build what could be the largest hacker network ever created. This FAQ will give you answers on what to bring, how the basic network will be set up, and how you can help us make the network something unique and memorable. You don't have to be a network expert in order to participate. But we do expect everyone to help out where they can by sharing resources and knowledge with other participants. The potential for education and meaningful dialogue at Beyond Hope is great and this is an excellent opportunity for hackers to provide some of that to others. 4.1.0 What will I need to connect to the Beyond Hope network? A machine with a TCP/IP stack (any Windows 95, Unix, or recent Mac should have this software) and a 10 megabit Ethernet card. If you don't have an Ethernet card, you may be able to buy or rent one at the conference or you can bring a serial cable to plug into our Portmaster. If you have more than one Ethernet card, bring them and you may help another person. In principle anything can be connected but we do want to keep things as simple as possible. If everything goes well, you should be up and running in minutes. 4.1.1 What kind of operating systems can/may we use? That's entirely up to you. 4.1.2 I haven't got an Ethernet card. Should I get one? Yes, get an ethernet card before Beyond Hope. If you don't have an ethernet card now you probably are not a heavy ethernet user so just get a simple network card with RJ45. These cards can be found in computer shops for around $30. 4.1.3 Can you guys lend me an ethernet card? No, but there may be people at the conference who can. There may even be places nearby where you can purchase such items but we don't suggest coming unprepared. 4.1.4 Will anyone be able to use the network? Yes, all attendees will be allowed to use the network. 4.1.5 What kind of network will it be? The network will be 10 Megabit Ethernet. The majority of connections available will be 10baseT or CAT5/RJ45. There will be some areas for people with 10base2 or BNC/coax hardware. If you have 10base5 or AUI, spend the $11 for a refurbished AUI-10baseT transceiver. One place that sells full-warranty used transceivers is Allied Telesyn. http://www.alliedtelesyn.com/newsd.htm 4.1.6 Where will I be able to plug into the network? Beyond Hope has 3 large rooms on the first floor of the Puck Building in NYC. The middle room is 3500 square feet and is also the location of the network room. Tables will be spread all around the room and each cluster of tables will have connectivity to the network. 4.1.7 How are we going to know what services are available on the BHN? There will be an internal web site being updated during the conference that will list and link to different services and machines present on the Beyond Hope Network. You can bring your own web or ftp server and be listed in this directory. 4.1.8 What are the requirements for plugging into the BHN? Beyond the technical requirements of having the proper hardware and software, you will be required to act responsibly and in a mature fashion when connected to the Beyond Hope Network. 4.1.9 How many IP addresses will be provided for each person? You should expect to receive one static IP address and DNS hostname for each machine you bring that has the TCP/IP protocol suite. 4.2.0 Tell us a little about the hope.net machine. Everyone will be given an account on the hope.net machine if they request one. At the very least this machine will be a Pentium Pro or a Pentium 2 with a minimum of 128 megs of RAM. People who hack root on this machine will be rewarded. For those of you who are up to the challenge, we will be running OpenBSD. 4.3.0 What about the public terminals? For those people with no machine or who may be new to the net, we expect to have around 20 text-based terminals which can be used to get out on the net or access the hope network. 4.3.1 What if all public terminals and computers are in use? You will have to wait for one to become available or bring your own. 4.3.2 If I bring my own computer will I have to let other people use it? No, we cannot and will not force anyone to let others use their hardware. It would be nice if you shared your hardware with others but that is up to you. 4.4.0 Are we going to get connectivity to the BHN from our hotel rooms? No. The Puck Building is not a hotel and there is no official hotel for Beyond Hope. If you want net access from your hotel you will need to take care of that yourself. 4.4.1 Will there be any multi-player games going on? That is up to the users. If there are enough machines we might put up a central Quake server or servers for other games, but if not then you will need to organize multi- player games by yourself. 4.4.2 Are any network applications going to be provided to attendees? There may be a listing of interesting software on the BH web site and where to get it but no commercial software will be distributed during Beyond Hope. 4.4.3 Is it ok for me to exercise a denial of service attack on a machine within the BHN and/or outside the BHN or even the BHN itself? NO! NO! NO! Anyone caught performing ANY KIND of denial of service attack against/from the Beyond Hope Network will have their network access revoked and depending on the severity of the attack and its level of success they might be kicked out of the conference itself. We are going to have a flat, non-switched network made up of donated and attendee equipment. There is no reason why you would have to exercise a denial of service attack and it won't be tolerated. We don't mean to be party-poopers by imposing this restriction; it's just that it is difficult at best to prevent sophisticated DOS attacks on a local network and in the end it hurts a lot more people than are able to get a laugh out of it. 4.4.4 Is it OK to hack other machines on the BHN? Absolutely yes. If you bring a machine to the conference, expect it to be poked at. :) 4.5.0 I've got a lot of hardware that I can bring to Hope. Is there anything you specifically need that maybe I can lend you? Yes, we need a number of things for the Hope network. We're still looking for a machine to be the main server that everyone will get an account on. As mentioned above, this machine will be a Pentium Pro/Pentium II with 128MB of RAM. This machine will house over 1000 accounts with 150-200 concurrent users at a time. Other things we need that are not for the main machine but for the network are HUBS. Any ethernet hub will be gladly accepted and put to good use. if you've got something you'd like to lend but its not listed, send us email anyway and we will get back to you on whether it will be of any use. 5.0 Miscellaneous 5.1 What else will be going on in New York City that weekend? We are planning lots of activities in conjunction with Beyond Hope for those of you who want to wander. Beyond Hope is one block from an alternative film theater with multiple screens, as well as Greenwich Village, the East Village, Chinatown, Soho, and Little Italy. Apart from these permanent attractions, we expect to announce special admissions into clubs, possibly a rave, and more. Full details will be available at the conference. 5.2 What is not allowed You cannot engage in illegal activity at the conference. Do not bring any stolen equipment and do not make any equipment become stolen. We expect you to behave in a responsible manner and not cause anybody any grief. We won't tolerate any defacing of any property inside or outside the building. 5.3 New York City What you do in other parts of the city is your affair but we should point out that this is New York City and no shit will be tolerated. Overall, this is the friendliest town in the world if you treat it right. That means respecting others and not acting like a fool. One final thing: do not mess with the cops - they can and will make your life miserable. But you knew that. 6.0 Stay informed 6.1 How can I get the latest news on Beyond Hope? Electronically, the best way is to keep checking our web site at www.hope.net or to email info@hope.net which will most likely result in you getting this text. To subscribe to the main beyondhope mailing list, email majordomo@2600.com and enter "subscribe beyondhope" as the first line. (Don't include the quotes.) This is a discussion group and anyone can subscribe to it which means that the topic often veers away from the Beyond Hope conference. If you don't have access to the net, call our voice BBS at (516) 473-2626 and you'll hear any changes or updates there. 6.2 How can I contact the people behind Beyond Hope? It's getting pretty close to the actual conference so if you're interested in speaking and/or volunteering, you'd better let us know now. We're in the process of getting back to everyone who has contacted us so it may take a little while to get a response. The address to email to if you want to volunteer time is vol@hope.net - you won't get in for free but you will get a neat staff shirt if we use you. If you have something to contribute insofar as a lecture, presentation, or panel discussion, email speakers@hope.net. If you don't have access to email, call (516) 751-2600 and leave a message at extension 0. 7.0 Notes for Overseas Travellers (United Kingdom) 7.0.1 Passport Travelling abroad you will need a valid passport. If you haven't got one go to your local main post office and get a Passport Application form urgently! 7.0.2 Visas Citizens of the United Kingdom may travel without a visa but there are conditions for visa-free travel. Please note: British subjects, British Overseas citizens, British Dependant Territories citizens, or British National (Overseas) citizens do not qualify for visa-free travel. Under U.S. law some people are ineligible to enter the United States unless they first obtain a waiver of ineligibility. If any of the conditions below apply to you, then you will need to submit a visa application BEFORE you make final travel plans: Have you ever been afflicted with a communicable disease of public health significance, a dangerous physical or mental disorder, or been a drug abuser or addict? Have you ever been arrested or convicted for any offence or crime, even though subject of a pardon, amnesty, or other such legal action? Have you ever sought to obtain, or assist others to obtain a visa, entry into the U.S, or any U.S immigration benefit by fraud or willful misrepresentation? Were you deported from the U.S.A. within the last 5 years? Do you seek to enter the United States to engage in export control violations, subversive or terrorist activities, or any unlawful purpose? (For God's sake don't apply for a visa under this condition by saying you're going to Beyond Hope!!!) If the answer is YES to any of the above this does not automatically signify ineligibilty for a visa, but if you have answered YES to any of the above, or if you have any questions in this regard then it is highly recommended you contact the American Embassy. The cost of the Visa is 13.75. Further Visa Information can be found by ringing 0891-200-290. Calls cost 39p/min cheap rate, 49p/min other times. 7.0.3 Travel Insurance It's a good idea to obtain travel insurance in case anything goes wrong as the best laid plans have been known to go wrong whatever the reason. 7.0.4 Travel Arrangements The only way people from the UK will seriously travel is by plane. Check web pages such as http://www.tcol.co.uk/orgs/atab/atab8.htm or http://www.cheapflights.co.uk/NewYork.html for cheap flights. Also try looking in the classifieds of newspapers and TIMEOUT for cheap flights to New York. Teletext has some cheap flights advertised as well so go and check it out! 7.0.5 Currency The currency used by Americans as we all know is U.S dollars (US$). NOTES US$ 1 2 5 10 20 50 100 COINS Cents 1 5 10 25 and $1 Recommendation Take US$ notes and travellers cheques for day to day transactions and, if you have them, credit cards. 7.0.6 Bank information Banks are open Monday - Friday 09:00 - 17:00. Hours do vary though. The exchange rate of dollars to pounds varies from day to day so we can't advise when to convert your money or where. Our recommendation is to take a mixture of dollars and Travellers cheques.