Comment on What’s Usenet and how can I access it with modern hardware (phones/laptops)?
cynar@lemmy.world 1 year agoModem is short for modulator/demodulator. It took a data stream and encoded it onto tones, multiple (audible) frequencies were used to increase data rates. You had to dial in to either a server, another computer, or an ISP. If you picked up the phone you would hear what sounded like white noise.
I lost many a download, or ‘online’ game to my mother picking up the phone to make a phone call.
bartolomeo@suppo.fi 1 year ago
That’s very clear, thanks. I remember reading about the original phreakers, one guy had perfect pitch so he could just sing the tone to open a long distance line and then dial away. I think he got sued by one of the American phone companies for stealing.
cynar@lemmy.world 1 year ago
There are some amazing stories about the cat and mouse games regarding phone phreaking. The “captain crunch whistle” is great. All their attempts at security, beaten by a bit of audible brute force, via a cereal box toy.