Letters to TAP Magazine TAP Magazine Issue #101 December 1st 1990 In this issue we will try and answer some questions and the ones we can't we hope that our readers can. So enjoy. Dear TAP, I got TAP #97 last week and GREATLY enjoyed reading it. Highly informative. I wouldn't consider myself a hacker, but your article "A beginners guide to hacking" makes it very alluring (however, my hardware consists of a commodore 64 with a VIC-20 modem and cassette tape software). Is there any hope? Should i change modems? The other articles were also informative; I've already succeeded with the "Redneck Penny." Austin, TX Dear Austin, Issue 97 was our first attempt at the digest size issue and we liked it a lot better also. To answer your questions about a commodore. The modem that has the most hacking and phreaking software written for it is the c1670 modem. It is made by commodore. They range in price from 50-80 dollars. It depends on if you buy it locally or mail order. You would also want to get a 1541 disk drive, many programs won't work with a cassette tape. That should get you headed in the right direction. I also think you will find "Phoneman" a very good terminal program. It has many different tone emulators for colored boxes. Dear TAP, I was wondering if it's possible to make a universal garage door opener. Like the TV remotes that are universal and work on any TV. This would allow you to open someones garage without having a certain opener. Dayton, OH Dear Dayton, I don't know the exact frequencies that garage door openers run on, but i would assume that once found you could make an adjustable one with a knob of some kind to increase or decrease the range. If any reader can help please send the range the frequencies run in, or help on how this could be done. Dear TAP, I would like to know if it's possible to copy or pirate nintendo games? TAP Reply, I have heard that nintendo games use a means of copy protection. They have different eproms on about every 1,000 cartridges made. Thus making each lot different from all the others. If you had a way to copy the eproms and burn them into a blank one i guess it would work. But if they have copy protection built in you would have to find a way to bypass it. Dear TAP, Why don't you all put out an online type magazine like Phrack or ATI does? TAP Reply, We have been thinking about doing this for a few months now. As soon as all the staff has a computer and a modem we might attempt something. It would have to be different from all the rest though. Dear TAP, Was that really a picture of you guys on the cover of issue 99? TAP Reply, Nope, we found that picture on a telephone poll, but thought what the hell, it would make a fancy cover. Dear TAP, How come 2600 never mentions you as being another hacker publication in their mag? TAP Reply, I guess they have something against us. Maybe they don't know we exist. Ask Eric Corley i don't know... Dear TAP, How can you publish this stuff without the PHeds arresting you for doing it? TAP Reply, We gave them some donuts filled with brainwashing grape jelly and they don't know we exist. Dear TAP, How can you guys publish for free? I like the mag and enjoy reading it but wonder how you guys do it? Arizona Dear Arizona, Well as you might have seen, TAP is no longer free. It was jst to expensive to keep giving it away. Subscriptions are just $10.00 for 10 issues. USA price. Other rates have not been decided yet. Write for info. Dear TAP, I have written many articles how do i get them published in TAP magazine? Milwaukee, WI Dear Milwaukee, We would like to get many article from our readers. We can't print them all, some might not fit our format or be up to par with what we would use, but feel free to send us anything you think we might like reading. Newspaper clippings can also be useful to let us know whats going on in your area. Dear TAP, With all the stuff about Operation Sundevil why didn't you have any info on it? Dallas, TX Dear Dallas, We thought since it was in and on most everything else we would save you from the effort of reading it all over again. We cannot take a stand unless we know both sides of the story and with the federal cover ups and changing stories every week we just see it as another massive scare tactic. If for some reason you have been on an island or in a cave you can find info on Sundevil in CUD, 2600, Phrack, newspapers and just about every online service out there. Well that about wraps up the questions for now. Our next issue will be back to regular stories and columns. Until then may the feds be confused on the way to your door.