In 1980 we were a pretty unusual bunch. We were writers, musicians, psychology majors, and any other profession you could think of. I was a Marine biologist. Before this time, I worked with the top shark behavioral expert in the world and was possibly the youngest Marine Biologist in the field.

But at this time, we had one thing in common. We were all unemployed. Speaking for myself, I was very disappointed that the “help wanted” section of the Boston Globe did not have any jobs for shark vision experts. I eventually settled on the next best thing; I became a security guard at the Chestnut Hill Mall.

Also, at this time, the first personal computers, or micro computers as they were called, were released. Microcomputers were a solution looking for a problem. There where were no application software packages available. There were no books or reference material to read. The only way to figure out what to do with them was through trial and error. Thus, was born the first generation of hackers.

The only way to accomplish something as a hacker was to spend a great deal of time exploring. Nobody had more time than my unemployed yet highly educated friends. Also, a common trait among early hackers was that women did not consider them “dating material.” Without a social life, we had even more time to sit in front of a computer.

But as the saying goes, “every dog has his day.” As the technology field grew, we became precious commodities. Our achievements remain chronicled in old Usenet archives. I know this because I was recruited by a Russian company ten years ago, and when I interviewed, they knew a lot about my hacking background.