Interviews
Interview with Side
Published in Vandalism News #37
Performed by Jazzcat
Remembering back to the older days of cracking. One has to pause for a moment for HOTLINE. They did some
very good releases, such as fixing, cracking, and exporting/importing of new games on the C64. In this edition we managed to catch up with one of the members, this being SIDE, who is from Holland. Enjoy!
J)
As normal, I will ask you to introduce yourself to the readers. Such as who you were in the scene and what are your real life activities.
S)
Well my real name is Said Hirschfeld, 30 years old so it is probably more than 15 years ago I got my C64 (how did I get this old so fast!?) I'm not active in the scene anymore for some time now. I'm currently product manager in a company that distributes mobile phones here in the Netherlands.
J)
I think you were involved in the cracking scene for Hotline and maybe some other groups?
S)
Mainly HOTLINE where I was the main importer/exporter, I also did some cracks and PAL fixes.
J)
Could you tell us a bit about your scene history. When did it all start?
S)
Well I started out in a couple of lame groups, then I joined Sphinx and quickly after that I met Sledgehammer of HTL and became friends with him and I didn't take long before I joined HOTLINE.
I think joining HOTLINE was one of the highlights because this finally meant I was part of the 'ELITE'... The main events that I really enjoyed are the Venlo meetings and the copy parties in Denmark, with the RADWAR parties in Germany being nr. 1.
SIDE's C64 favourites:
Demo: Think Twice series by The Judges
Demo Group: 1001 Crew and The Judges
Coder: TMC and groups mentioned above
Musician: MON, Rob Hubbard and Chris Hüelsbeck
Graphician: BWB
Game: Block Out (3D Tetris clone, super addictive)
Magazine: Illegal by Jeff Smart
Cracking group: HOTLINE (hehehe), Ikari, Fairlight, Bros, actually all groups, especially the old ones when I was elite like Dynamic Duo, ABC, 1001 Crew, Softrunner and Eagle Soft Inc
Cracker: Sledgehammer/HTL
Original Supplier: must be BOD's supplier
Fixer: Conan of Barbarian, he's the one that taught me!
Importing group: US -> INC
BBS: Wild Wares with sysop Gazoo! (3139876637) The Addiction (sysop OEP), INC's BBS and a handful of others
J)
What do you think makes the C64 so special? What makes it still have a following even though it is the year 2001?
S)
It started the 'home computer' era, although I can't understand why there is still a scene (apart from the Nostalgia) however it does have several emulators and sometimes I like to see old games (esp. the intros from friends).
J)
What are you doing that is computer related these days?
S)
Surfing the net is all I guess, and of course for work and the mobile phone business reminds me of the phreaking dayz :-)
J)
This is the same for me, I work for a telephone company and I think it is ironic when looking back at the older times :-) What is your opinion on the internet and how most things in life are now attached to it one way or another?
S)
Don't really have an opinion on it, think it's quite handy most of the time...
J)
What is your most memorable moment on the scene?
S)
Having fun with all those friends in different countries.
J)
Ever been involved in any scene wars?
S)
Nope, I think I used to get along with most people...
J)
Were you ever involved in the hacking/phreaking scene?
S)
When no Europeans were calling the boards due to lack of codes, I still was a regular guest on most overseas boards....
J)
What is your definition of lame and elite?
S)
I guess it's being in the right crowd, like it already was in school.
J)
Please feel free to send any greetings to anyone you know on the C64...
S)
Sledge, Rob, Ron, Gazoo!, OEP, Shark, Hobbit/FLT, Conan/Barbarian, Bambam, Paco his gang, Rico, Dragon, MWS/Radwar, Jeff Smart and all the other guys we had so much fun with, I'm sorry I forgot so many names.
J)
Thanks for your time, any last words?
S)
Never die!
Signed,
Side/Hotline.
Published in Vandalism News #37
Performed by Jazzcat
Remembering back to the older days of cracking. One has to pause for a moment for HOTLINE. They did some
very good releases, such as fixing, cracking, and exporting/importing of new games on the C64. In this edition we managed to catch up with one of the members, this being SIDE, who is from Holland. Enjoy!
J)
As normal, I will ask you to introduce yourself to the readers. Such as who you were in the scene and what are your real life activities.
S)
Well my real name is Said Hirschfeld, 30 years old so it is probably more than 15 years ago I got my C64 (how did I get this old so fast!?) I'm not active in the scene anymore for some time now. I'm currently product manager in a company that distributes mobile phones here in the Netherlands.
J)
I think you were involved in the cracking scene for Hotline and maybe some other groups?
S)
Mainly HOTLINE where I was the main importer/exporter, I also did some cracks and PAL fixes.
J)
Could you tell us a bit about your scene history. When did it all start?
S)
Well I started out in a couple of lame groups, then I joined Sphinx and quickly after that I met Sledgehammer of HTL and became friends with him and I didn't take long before I joined HOTLINE.
I think joining HOTLINE was one of the highlights because this finally meant I was part of the 'ELITE'... The main events that I really enjoyed are the Venlo meetings and the copy parties in Denmark, with the RADWAR parties in Germany being nr. 1.
SIDE's C64 favourites:
Demo: Think Twice series by The Judges
Demo Group: 1001 Crew and The Judges
Coder: TMC and groups mentioned above
Musician: MON, Rob Hubbard and Chris Hüelsbeck
Graphician: BWB
Game: Block Out (3D Tetris clone, super addictive)
Magazine: Illegal by Jeff Smart
Cracking group: HOTLINE (hehehe), Ikari, Fairlight, Bros, actually all groups, especially the old ones when I was elite like Dynamic Duo, ABC, 1001 Crew, Softrunner and Eagle Soft Inc
Cracker: Sledgehammer/HTL
Original Supplier: must be BOD's supplier
Fixer: Conan of Barbarian, he's the one that taught me!
Importing group: US -> INC
BBS: Wild Wares with sysop Gazoo! (3139876637) The Addiction (sysop OEP), INC's BBS and a handful of others
J)
What do you think makes the C64 so special? What makes it still have a following even though it is the year 2001?
S)
It started the 'home computer' era, although I can't understand why there is still a scene (apart from the Nostalgia) however it does have several emulators and sometimes I like to see old games (esp. the intros from friends).
J)
What are you doing that is computer related these days?
S)
Surfing the net is all I guess, and of course for work and the mobile phone business reminds me of the phreaking dayz :-)
J)
This is the same for me, I work for a telephone company and I think it is ironic when looking back at the older times :-) What is your opinion on the internet and how most things in life are now attached to it one way or another?
S)
Don't really have an opinion on it, think it's quite handy most of the time...
J)
What is your most memorable moment on the scene?
S)
Having fun with all those friends in different countries.
J)
Ever been involved in any scene wars?
S)
Nope, I think I used to get along with most people...
J)
Were you ever involved in the hacking/phreaking scene?
S)
When no Europeans were calling the boards due to lack of codes, I still was a regular guest on most overseas boards....
J)
What is your definition of lame and elite?
S)
I guess it's being in the right crowd, like it already was in school.
J)
Please feel free to send any greetings to anyone you know on the C64...
S)
Sledge, Rob, Ron, Gazoo!, OEP, Shark, Hobbit/FLT, Conan/Barbarian, Bambam, Paco his gang, Rico, Dragon, MWS/Radwar, Jeff Smart and all the other guys we had so much fun with, I'm sorry I forgot so many names.
J)
Thanks for your time, any last words?
S)
Never die!
Signed,
Side/Hotline.