Interview
Handle: Side / Hotline
How did you come up with your alias ?
Well, it sounds like my real name: Said so it was sorta easy...
City / Country:
Rotterdam/The Netherlands
Born year:
27th of April in the spring of `71
What was your first computer, and when did you get it?
My first computer was the good ole 64! When did i get it? Phew, long time ago! (can`t remember what year!)
How did you get into the scene and what groups have you been a member of ?
I first started getting `cracked` games on a `computer club` every month (copying alllll day), then I formed my own group called `tsb` (the softbreakers) but since we where not `breaking` any soft we changed to TFF (the Fantastic Five) around that time I met BamBam who was as lame as me at that time, we became friends and started swapping and he soon became a member of Softrunner and so I was getting newer stuff, so new that I was asked to join Sphinx.
Also was I going to VENLO every month and hanging out with the real Elite guys like Hotline, BamBam, Elite, Radwar (der Markus), 1001 Crew and many more. At that time I was already phreaking like hell (the only thing I could really do good) and got a modem (300 Bps) from a US dude, I started calling out to boards and soon was send a faster modem by a US dude (1200 Bps) I then was getting warez so quick Sledge asked me to join Hotline as their modem trader/importer (Ron was getting problems receiving so many calls late at night, and so was Sledge...), after that I bought myself a 2400 Bps modem (in the states, in europe they said it was impossible to get the rs232 interface!) and I was the first Euro calling out on 2400 Bps (what the sysops liked very much cause it took up less time leeching!)
What was the proudest moment in your career ?
After learning from Conan/Elite (norman) how to PAL fix an american loader (he showed me at Venlo when he had 1 side of a 2 sided game, and i had the other side...) and a few days later i did my first fix (nothing to it really, i can`t even program...) and maybe the last game i really cracked ferarri formula 1 (remember i can`t program shit!)
For what specific reason(s) do you think that you are remembered ?
For calling out to boards, setting up conferences and calling out while NO-ONE had AT&T`s....and maybe my imports and fixes of 4 sided games wich where either stratigic games or stupid games no-one ever played!
What would you like to be remembered for ?
For being fun to hang out with, during conferences and copy parties...
What made you stop the scene activity ? (and do you remember when?)
I quit because it was taking up to much of my time, i.e. I was getting to go out alot, working and most of the good friends I had either went to the Amiga or quit, and maybe because I recieved some strange phone calls from US phone companies... That must have been around the time I cracked that ferarri F 1 thing...
Thinking back on the good old days, is there anything you regret?
That the scene died slowly (hehe, do all these sites proof me wrong!) and not being able to program...
What was your favorite
GAME(S)
I don`t know the game`s name, but it was a sort of 3d Tetris (block buster or something along that name)
DEMO(S)
The `Think Twice` series from the Judges
PROGRAMMER(S) (OR PROGRAMMING TEAM(S))
1001 Crew, TMC, Ian&Mic and sooo many others...
CRACKER(S) (OR CRACKING GROUP(S))
ABC, Dynamic Duo, The light circle, Softrunner (not the later Softrunner Group) Fairlight, Ikari and HOTLINE!
OVERALL GROUPS :
Don`t know, but my background forces me to say HOTLINE! Once again.
COMPOSER(S)
Maniacs Of Noise and Rob hubbard
BEST COMPOSED TRACK(S)
Can`t remember any names...
BEST GRAPHICS
Boys without Brains and on paper Hobbit of Fairlight (Crackin` Comics).
EVENT(S) (E.G. COPYPARTY)
Every VENLO especially the later ones when all Germany`s elite and even guys from Ikari came over from England... and the Radwar Disco party, and the first 2 big Danish copy parties.
MEMORY(S)
Probably the events mentioned above (especially Venlo, when Jeff Smart (I think) was chased out by the organizers for burping LOUD in the microphone during a very silent moment, Picture 2 Elephants chasing a skinny guy...)
DRINK ?
Cuba Libre (Bacardi Cola...)
What are you doing nowadays ?
Working as a salesman/installer in very High end car audio/security store (I did the installs on some very famous Dutch people...)
What are you doing on your spare time?
Relaxing alot, competing with car stereo`s (on a very high level all over europe) and being a Technical engineer with a TOP dutch rally team (HTTP://WWW.RALLYSPORT.COM/SUBARU)
Is there anything you'd like to say to the public (read: admires)
I`d like to take this opportunity to say hi to all the People I can remember and used to hang out with (don`t be mad if I forgot you!) Tjarda (Sledge), Richard(Rico), Rob (Radix), Ron (Lethal), Erick (TSS), Bod and XXX, Paco, Serge, Norman (Conan), John (Gazoo), George (Oep), Ben (??), Stan (warewolf?), Dave (Shark), Mike (??), Markus (Radwar), Just (Mark) ice, Alain (Hobbit), I guess all the friends I used to have way back when the scene was live as hell!
What is the meaning of life?
Does anyone know?