From: Martin Minow <minow@apple.com>
Date: Thu, 11 Jul 1996 04:12:40 +0800
To: Arun Mehta <cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: Minitel "saved" by hackers?
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Arun Mehta describes the "hijacking" of Minitel (where users changed
a videotex system into two-way communication medium) as a "hacking"
(in the computer breakin sense).

I think it might be more accurate to call this a "redirection" -- the
people using Minitel "manifest[ing] tastes often opposed to those foreseen
by experts"

A similar thing happened to ARPANET in the late 1970's, with superficially
frivolous newsletters such as SF-LOVERS and, of course, the proliferation
of personal correspondance.

Perhaps this is just another example of the cypherpunks manifesto:
"information wants to be free."

Martin Minow
minow@apple.com