Date: Monday, 9 April 1984 14:23 mst From: James J. Lippard Subject: Miscellaneous Digest V3 #9 Reply-To: {mbx >udd>Multics>Lippard>misc>misc} To: {list >udd>Multics>Lippard>misc>misc} Miscellaneous Digest Volume 3 : Issue 9 Today's topics: Rose Bowl Hack (from TELECOM digest) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sunday, 8 April 1984 22:22 mst From: Ronald B. Harvey Subject: Rose Bowl Hack Date: 6 Apr 84 13:43:44 PST (Friday) From: Halbert.PA@Xerox.ARPA Subject: Rose Bowl Story Two messages about the Cal Tech hack: ------- From: tew181@cit-vax.ARPA (Ted Williams) Subject: Re: Rose Bowl Story Throughout the last few months, we have been dismayed at the number of factual errors in newspaper stories related to this year's Rose Bowl stunt. ... we, the Caltech students responsible, would like to clear up some points which have been misrepresented. We installed a device to take over control of the Rose Bowl scoreboard weeks before the actual game without the knowledge of any Caltech staff or faculty. Our only modification to their equipment was a splice in the cable to the scoreboard where we attached our microprocessor. During the game, we placed several messages such as "Go Caltech!" on the scoreboard. The frustrated stadium officials responded by turning off the power to the scoreboard before the game was over. There was no malfunction of either the stadium computer or our device. In the days following the game, we contacted the Rose Bowl officials and offered to remove our device and to explain how we had gained control. This offer was ignored by the Rose Bowl officials and the city of Pasadena. Unfortunately, the Rose Bowl officials did not understand that our project had made no modifications to their computer, as we would have told them. They needlessly spent $1200 in shipping costs to have it checked out. There was, of course, no damage and hence no repairs necessary to either their computer or scoreboard. All that really had to be done was to unplug a connector we had installed. The figure of $4000 printed by newspapers was an exaggerated estimate from the start. Weeks later the City Prosecutor of Pasadena, against the recommendation of the Mayor and the City Council, charged us with four misdemeanors. We read this news on the front page of the Los Angeles Times five days before we received actual notification by mail from the city clerk. When articles questioning the city's sense of humor appeared in local papers, he tried to defend his actions by writing to local newspapers. Apparently the city did not consider this appropriate; his office, previously independent, has since been placed under the authority of the City Attorney. In cooperation with the city of Pasadena, Caltech agreed to share half the amount needlessly spent by the Rose Bowl on their computer. This amount of $660 was paid by Caltech to the Rose Bowl. It was mentioned in court, and the newspapers erroneously reported it as a fine to us as individuals. The City Prosecutor dropped every charge against us, except for the insignificant "loitering in a public place after midnight." We pleaded no contest to this charge, and there was no sentence. It was agreed that this also will shortly be dropped from our record. We have been surprised by the amount of attention which several newspapers and television stations have given to these events regarding the Rose Bowl. We have been disappointed that there have been several misconceptions and misquotes conveyed to the public. We hope that with more serious matters, journalists will take more care to report stories accurately and to avoid sensationalism. Conclusion: Don't believe everything you read in newspapers. Sincerely, Ted Williams and Dan Kegel Seniors at the California Institute of Technology ------ The following comes from the current issue (?April) of Byte Magazine: --- Rose Bowl Scoreboard Snafu Done With Portable Computer During January's Rose Bowl, a scoreboard prank by two CalTech students was made possible by two computers and radio modems. The students, who are now being prosecuted for trespassing, used an Epson HX-20 notebook-size portable computer with an RF modem to tap into an 8086 breadboard they'd attached between the scoreboard and its operators. The students put several messages on the scoreboard's scratch-pad area and finally changed the names of the teams to show CalTech trouncing rival MIT, instead of UCLA beating Illinois. The students later held a seminar called "Packet RF Control of Remote Digital Displays." ------------------------------ End of Miscellaneous Digest ***************************