At age 3, Patrick Roanhouse got his first computer. At 7, he figured out how to construct a modem out of scrap parts. By 14, he was running around cyberspace under the alias "Anarchist" and working up all sorts of havoc. Then he met the 2600 Club.. . .
At age 3, Patrick Roanhouse got his first computer. At 7, he figured out how to construct a modem out of scrap parts. By 14, he was running around cyberspace under the alias "Anarchist" and working up all sorts of havoc. Then he met the 2600 Club.

The group, which publishes a popular hacker magazine, has an almost mythical reputation. It has been investigated by the Secret Service and has inspired monthly gatherings in more than 100 cities around the world. In the early 1990s, one of those meetings, held at the food court of the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City, was busted up in a highly publicized raid by police, who confiscated several bags of computer books and printouts. Most recently, the 2600 Club was sued by the entertainment industry for publishing code that lets users crack the supposedly impregnable DVD format.

Patrick thought 2600 would teach him how to hack. Instead, it taught him about job hunting, stock options and business plans.

The link for this article located at Washington Post is no longer available.