Blacklisted! 411 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q:  Who are you guys and what are you all about?

A:  Good question.  We're an old school group of hackers and technology guru's who started up an early e-zine back in 1983.  We stepped up to a real honest to goodness "print" zine in 1994.  If you want to know more about our history and what we're up to now, please check out our ABOUT US page.

Q:  Are you the same company that produced Blacklisted! 411 that was in print 1994 through 1999?

A:  Yes, absolutely.  We are the same company with the same people...and we're even at the same address.

Q: How often is Blacklisted! 411 Distributed?

A: Blacklisted! 411 is published and distributed quarterly which means 4 times a year. We have the following issues: Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter issues. We generally release issues in March, June, September and December.  The exact dates of release vary, but will be posted on http://www.blacklisted411.net

Q: I haven’t seen a new issue of Blacklisted! 411 in a while, what’s up?

A: We have not released a new issue of Blacklisted! 411 in about 4 years, due to several publishing, distribution, and financial problems, but they have all been resolved, and the newest issue of Blacklisted! 411 Magazine hit the streets in November 2003.

Q: I am looking for a retailer in <any city> who carries your magazine. Help?

A: Blacklisted! 411 magazine is sent to the retailers through a network of distributors. We send the magazine to these distributors, who then handle sending it to the actual retailers. We do not have any direct control which retailer carries our magazine, nor do we get listings of the exact retailers who do carry the magazines.  This will change in time, but your best bet for now is to ask your local magazine or bookstore to carry Blacklisted! 411 Magazine.  Or you can order a subscription from our online store at  http://store.blacklisted411.net or via snail mail.

Q:  I want to order a subscription or back issue(s).  How can I do this?

A: If you'd like to order a subscription or back issue(s), please go to our online STORE and place an order.  U.S. Subscriptions are $20 for 1 year, $38 for 2 years and $56 for 3 years.  All back issues are $6 each.  If you feel uncomfortable ordering online, you may place an order and send it to us via regular mail.   Please send to:

Blacklisted! 411 Magazine
Subscriptions / Back Issues
P.O. Box 2506
Cypress, CA 90630

Q:  What payment methods do you accept?

A: For online store orders, we accept PAYPAL, Visa, Mastercard and American Express.  For orders made through regular mail, we accept check (personal, company, cashiers), money order and cash (not recommended!).

Q: I ordered a subscription for Blacklisted! 411, and have not gotten it yet. Why?

A: The next issue of Blacklisted! 411 Magazine will be sent out in March 2004. All subscriptions start with the next issue. If you have ordered back issues and have not received them, or have additional questions, feel free to send an email to sales@blacklisted411.net.

Q: I had a subscription to Blacklisted! 411 in 1998/1999 and still have remaining issues I have not received. How can I get them?

A: Please contact us using the CONTACT FORM and let us know you still have an outstanding subscription. Please include your current name and address as well as your previous address (if applicable). We will research your subscription and get back to you with our findings. Generally, if you had a subscription and you have the correct information handy, we can get your subscription reinstated right away.

Q: Why can’t technical questions be answered via email or phone?

A: The entire process of putting together and distributing Blacklisted! 411 requires the work of many people.  Syntel Vista Distribution maintains Subscriptions, Back Issues, Magazine Related Merchandise, and the Website.  Syntel Vista Distribution is not involved in the actual design, editing and layout of the magazine, and as such is not staffed by technical personnel and unfortunately cannot answer such questions.  Technical questions should be sent directly to Blacklisted! 411 Magazine.  The address and phone numbers are listed in the info section on the website and in the actual magazines themselves.

Q: How do I get my local retailer to carry your magazines?

A: Our distributors and direct retailers have the control as to who carries our magazines.  While we can sometimes encourage a certain retailer to carry our magazines, the most potent way to get them to carry the magazines is by a personal request from you, their customer.  Ask for whoever is responsible for what is carried on the magazine rack, and tell them you want them to carry Blacklisted! 411 and THUD Magazine.  If enough people ask for it, they will carry it.

Q: Will you be making THUD magazine again?

A: Yes, eventually we will start publishing THUD magazine again. Right now, we're focusing on Blacklisted! 411 magazine. Once we have distribution up to full swing and a little time has passed, THUD will be next on the list of things to do.

Q: I recall that you took over Private Line years ago. What's the deal?

A: We're focusing on Blacklisted! 411 magazine now and the only other magazine we intend to put into publication after this is THUD magazine. We'd like to remain within our target audience as much as possible.

Q: I have a link I want listed on your website. How can I make this happen?

A: You can provide us, through the CONTACT FORM, with your link and we'll take a look at the website in question. We generally only list links on our website which fall within certain guidelines such as people or companies who advertise in our magazine and people or organizations who support us in some way. Furthermore, we also list links for other media, events or sites we find personally interesting.

Q: I have an article I want to submit. How do I submit it?

A: First, read the writer GUIDELINES. Then contact us using the CONTACT FORM and let us know you have an article for us. We'll contact you within 48 hours and instruct you on how submit the article via online methods. Otherwise, you can send your article on PC formatted 3.5" disk, ZIP disk or CDROM in MS Word (.doc) format or plain ASCII text (.txt) format to the following address:

Blacklisted! 411 Magazine
Article Submissions
P.O. Box 2506
Cypress, CA 90630

Q: I have artwork I want to submit. How do I submit it?

A: Contact us using the CONTACT FORM and let us know you have artwork for us. We'll contact you within 48 hours and instruct you on how submit the artwork via online methods. Otherwise, you can send your artwork on paper or on PC formatted 3.5" disk, ZIP disk or CDROM in Photoshop (.PSD), .GIF, .JPG or .TIF format to the following address:

Blacklisted! 411 Magazine
Artwork Submissions
P.O. Box 2506
Cypress, CA 90630

Q: I have a photograph I want to submit. How do I submit it?

A: Contact us using the CONTACT FORM and let us know you have a photograph for us. We'll contact you within 48 hours and instruct you on how submit the photograph via online methods. Otherwise, you can send your photograph either in 5x7 (or bigger) paper or on PC formatted 3.5" disk, ZIP disk or CDROM in Photoshop (.PSD), .GIF, .JPG or .TIF format to the following address:

Blacklisted! 411 Magazine
Photograph Submissions
P.O. Box 2506
Cypress, CA 90630

Q: I want to advertise a display ad in Blacklisted! 411. I need information on how to go about this.

A: Please contact us at the following email for more information on advertising in our magazine: advertising@blacklisted411.net or send us a request via snail mail at the following address:

Blacklisted! 411 Magazine
Display Advertising
P.O. Box 2506
Cypress, CA 90630

Q: Are classified ads really free? How do I submit a free ad and are there any limits?

A: Yes, classified ads are currently free on a first come, first served basis.  We limit the number of classifieds by space constraints within the magazine itself.  We may choose not to print any specific classified if we deem it inappropriate in any way or if it has nothing to do with the ideal of the magazine.  Generally, we have no word limits on each classified ad, but urge you to use common sense and not take up too much space.  Individuals and companies are permitted to utilize our free ad space.  We limit the number of ads per person/company to a total of 5 ads in any given issue.   When you're ready to submit a classified ad, use the CONTACT FORM or send it to us via snail mail at the following address:

Blacklisted! 411 Magazine
Classified Advertising
P.O. Box 2506
Cypress, CA 90630

You must include contact information for our records.  Generally a name, address, phone number and email address (if possible) will do.  We must stress that this information is REQUIRED for our records and will not be published.

Q:  I see a problem with your website and want to let you know.

A:  Use the CONTACT FORM and let us know the nature of the problem. Please try to be as specific as possible. Include the time of day the problem occured and under what circumstances it occured.

Q:  I want to start a meeting or already run a meeting and want it listed in your magazine and website.  Can you list it?

A:  We're doing things slightly different now.  Instead of making it a requirement that all meetings we list be branded "Blacklisted! 411" meetings, we're offering to list any meetings already operating and/or list meetings anyone wants to start up.  You're welcome to use the Blacklisted! 411 name in starting up a new meeting if you'd like, but we do not require it.  We've very relaxed on the specifics, but we do need a few things from you.  Namely, we need the following information: 

• Your meeting name, if any. 
• The address/location of the meeting. 
• The time and day of the month for the meeting. 
• The "host" name (the person or group hosting the meeting. 
• A brief description of the meeting, it's location and anything else pertinent to it's listing. 
• A contact email for publication (so people can get ahold of you).
• The City, State and Area code for the meeting.  

In addition, you will need to provide us with a contact name, email address and phone number for our records - this will not be published.   Use the CONTACT FORM to get things started.

Q:  Do you mention website updates anywhere?

A:  Yes, we do.  Check the ANNOUNCEMENTS section of our website to read up on any recent updates or news.

Q:  Are you going to have a forum section online anytime soon?

A:  We do plan to have a forum section online sometime soon.  We're still working on the specifics, but we're probably going to use Invision Power Board or vBulletin.  Either of these forum software packages will work, but we have not weighed all the pro's and con's of each package yet.  

Q:  You refer to your magazine as "The Official Hackers Magazine".  Why?

A:  Blacklisted! 411 Magazine is the official magazine produced by the original "Blacklisted 411, the hackers monthly" group and is rightfully referred to as the "official" version by the same people.  In addition, the original Blacklisted! 411, the hackers monthly was produced well before any of the other hacker magazines available today.

Q:  I would like for your magazine to review something I produce.  How do I go about making it happen?

A:  We review many types of material, generally having something to do with hacking.  However, we typically accept the following types of material for review: software, computer hardware, electronics, books, CDROM compilations, magazines/zines, books, booklets, videos, and other technology related items.  If you think the readers of Blacklisted! 411 would appreciate the review of something you have, please send to the address below.  We usually take possession of any material sent in for review unless previous arrangements have been made to have the material returned upon completion of review.

Blacklisted! 411 Magazine
Review Submissions
P.O. Box 2506
Cypress, CA 90630

Q:  I have an idea for a value added product you can sell and want to know if you'd be interested in this idea?

A:  We're interested in any ideas you may have.  We will consider your idea and be happy to make arrangements with you if we find the idea plausible for implementation.  Use the CONTACT FORM to get in touch with us.

Q:  I have a manuscript I'd like to sell to you and have published under the Blacklisted! 411 name.  Are you interested?

A:  The Blacklisted! 411 name is well known and very popular among all levels of the hacker and underground community.  Anything specifically produced using the Blacklisted! 411 name for this target group is sure to sell.  We will review and consider any manuscript submitted to us which has anything to do with hacking.  We accept fiction, factual, technical and how-to material.  Please send all manuscripts to the address below.  Please make sure manuscript is submitted on disk (MS Word preferred) as well as a hardcopy on paper.  You retain all rights to this manuscript unless a purchase deal is agreed upon in which case we will require full and exclusive rights to the material as part of acceptance.

Blacklisted! 411 Magazine
Manuscript Submissions
P.O. Box 2506
Cypress, CA 90630

Q:  I read somewhere that you will be sponsoring a convention this year.  Which one was it and will you actually attend the convention?

A:  We're planning on sponsoring and attending several conventions this year.  So far, we're planning on attendance and possible sponsorship of the following conventions:  Interz0ne, LayerOne and  DefCon.  We may not be able to sponsor each of these, but we will exhaust every effort to attend each and make our presence known.  We'll see you there.