Remember... (Summer, 1989)
--------------------------
Why should we remember Abbie Hoffman? What relationship did he have with 2600?

Abbie was, of course, the founder of the Yippies, and the founder of YIPL,
which turned into TAP. TAP was the first publication to look at technology
through hacker eyes. It's doubtful 2600 would exist in its present form were it
not for the inspiration TAP offered.

But apart from that, Abbie Hoffman was, for all intents and purposes, a hacker
of the highest order. No, he didn't go around breaking into computers, although
we know the subject interested him. Abbie hacked authority, which is what a lot
of us unwittingly do whenever we play with phones and computers. Abbie, of
course, was much more direct. He stood up to the ultimate computer system known
as Society. He was relentless in his attack on the status quo. He fought the
Vietnam War, got arrested so many times that nobody could really keep track,
and wound up pissing off Richard Nixon to no end. He became a fugitive from the
law after being accused of dealing drugs, a charge he vehemently denied to his
closest friends right up to the end. And even under a disguise, Abbie
accomplished a lot under the name of Barry Freed, leading an environmental
group called Save the River in Upstate New York.

Abbie gained a reputation for outsmarting the FBI. It's reported that the FBI
gathered more information on Abbie Hoffman than on anyone else in their entire
history. That's something to be proud of.

Like a computer hacker, Abbie Hoffman was thought of as a pest by some. His
presence was inconvenient and he made people uncomfortable because he wasn't
afraid to point out the flaws.

On the personal level, Abbie had a sharp mind and a great sense of humor. He
had a terrific enthusiasm for life's little pleasures and his friends compared
him to a little kid who loved toys.

We're sorry he never really seemed to reach the younger generation. That upset
him quite a bit. But when you consider how Abbie turned the world on its side,
a lot of what we do today would probably be done quite differently if he hadn't
been around.

So the next time you're playing with a computer somewhere and you feel that
little rush of excitement as you realize the endless possibilities, say hello
to Abbie. He'll be right there.

-------------

On yet another sad note, one of 2600's most knowledgeable and articulate
writers died on June 4, 1989, at the age of 22.

David Flory was known in these pages as The Shadow and, most recently, as Dan
Foley. On bulletin-board systems, David was known as Shadow 2600.

In the days of the Private Sector BBS, Shadow 2600 would always be the person
to take charge of a technical discussion and explain things so that everyone
could understand. In many ways, the Private Sector was an extension of his
ever-present quest to learn and explore. We all benefitted from that.

David was shocked along with the rest of us when the Private Sector was seized
by the authorities in July of 1985. He played a major role in publicizing the
action and setting up a support network. Throughout this rather trying time, he
never lost sight of our ideals: freedom of speech and the quest for knowledge.

Our sadness over David Flory's loss won't disappear soon. We gained much from
him and he enjoyed the work he did for 2600. Like Abbie, we intend to keep his
spirit alive.