Hackers on Planet Earth

Every two years, hackers have been gathering in New York City in Hotel Pennsylvania to exchange technical, political, and social issues involved with hacking. The HOPE hacker conventions are sponsored by 2600: The Hacker Quarterly Magazine, with Emmanuel Goldstein and Bernie S. being two of the major ­organizers.

In 2004, the Fifth HOPE took place July 9–11. Steve Wozniak and Kevin Mitnick both spoke at the convention, drawing huge crowds and media interviews. On the last day of the convention, Cheshire Catalyst’s social experiment, known as “the public rant,” was found to be a refreshing psychological noise-reducing exercise for the hacker participants. In 2006 HOPE number 6 was held from July 21 to July 23 with Richard Stallman as a keynote speaker.

See Also: Bernie S. (a.k.a. Edward Cummings); Goldstein, Emmanuel Hacker Icon (a.k.a. Eric Corley); Hacker Quarterly Magazine (a.k.a. 2600); Mitnick, Kevin (a.k.a. Condor); Stallman, Richard; Wozniak, Steve.