writing rewards Alhadin Mahammed Yusef's database
 

logic that always lets '555'
exchange numbers through. ("Information wants to be free") Companies
that advertise 900 numbers take advantage of this.

For example, even though you can't dial most 900 numbers, you can
still call numbers like USA Today's 1-900-555-5555, which are
specifically chosen to get around the 900 programming restrictions.

Oh yeah: I remember another one that triggered firm-wide security
checks: 2600 described a hole in DOS that could allow others to
execute commands on your system by virtue of defining function
key contents (F1, F2..) on the fly AND THEN EXECUTING THEM.
]
Cummings apologized to the court for his "odd curiosity" of the past,
insisting that he merely collected books and information and never
caused harm to anyone. His lawyer pleaded with the judge to allow
Cummings to pick up the pieces of his life and not be subjected to
any more inhumane treatment.
[
I feel sick upon reading he felt compelled to apologize for books.
]
Judge Panella passed sentence: 6 to 24 months plus a $3,000 fine.

We have also learned of a very similar case that took place in Kentucky
late last year where a man was accused of the same offense that Cummings
was. In this instance, however, he was accused of actually selling the
black box that allowed cellular phones to be cloned.

This was far more than Ed was ever accused of - he merely sold kits that
could be built into boxes. The man in Kentucky decided to fight the
charges and he showed how there were many legitimate uses for cloned
phones. In front of a jury in Kentucky, he won the case. Unfortunately,
Cummings' lawyer knew nothing about this and Cummings was forced to plead
guilty last year in the mistaken belief that he would never be able to
convince a jury that he hadn't committed a serious crime. Had he been
found innocent, there never would have been a probation violation