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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jack7" data-source="post: 5156336" data-attributes="member: 54707">LP, this is my opinion on the matter of hacking. (I know you're just ROM hacking, but I'm gonna expand it a little more to speak about other kinds of hacking you might pursue now or want to later on. Because I think this thread could be used for interesting and maybe helpful discussions on various subjects. So this isn't aimed just at you specifically. And also I'm interested in hacking and vadding.) Hacking is different from Cracking, which is intentionally attempting to disable or harm a device or a system. Hacking should really only be done to learn about systems and how they function, and sometimes to alter content, like with game hacking, but not to harm.That being said, hacking is still technically illegal (in most cases) and depending on how you go about it, and how good you are at it, hacking can and should be done without harming anything. But most authorities know the difference between Cracking to cause harm, and hacking to learn, or even just out of curiosity. (The trouble from the authority's point of view, or the point of view of the target, however, is that usually if the hacking is discovered then they have to investigate to determine what is the real intent, and that costs them time and money and effort and resources that they naturally feel they could have more productively dedicated to some other project.) Now all of that being said, if the authorities become aware of your hacking or if the party you are hacking decides to pursue the matter you'll just have to take your lumps and suffer what is customary in your case (I'm speaking generally here). I say that because I have been a Vadder since I was a boy, and Vadding is simply, or it started out this way anyways, physical hacking. And God knows I've had my run ins with the police while Vadding, and even with the police when working undercover and they didn't know who I was or what I was doing. I've never been arrested, having had much experience talking my way out of things and diffusing situations with the police and the authorities. But I certainly could have been on some occasions (I'm rarely discovered, and that comes from practice too, but sooner or later everyone is discovered or caught unawares) and once I was actually surprised the officer let me walk. Cause I was casing a place undercover not long after 9/11 and truth be told, if I had caught someone else casing where I was I would have arrested them. But I think he kinda sensed what I was doing cause as he questioned me I suspect he thought I might have been testing security rather than seeking to penetrate it. Nevertheless I mention those kinds of things because it is possible it will happen to you, that the authorities or your target will come after you. Be prepared in case it happens, and if it never does, fine, and if it does, it's part of the inherent risk.I'd also say though never hack or vad to cause damage. Instead, intend and strive for the opposite.On the other hand I personally think that vadding and hacking skills are excellent skills to possess, especially in the modern world. Knowing how to vad well has assisted me numerous times on investigations, working undercover, with gathering Intel, working against criminal organizations, etc, etc. Also vadding is an excellent compliment to survival skills, especially in urban situations. I also work with others in helping them learn hacking skills so that they can both penetrate systems when need be, and so that they may better be able to help defend systems against malicious attacks during Cyber Operations. Hacking is an excellent technological skill to possess and assists with what I call "technological survival skills." With all of the cracking aimed at various systems, and with all of the acts of corporate espionage, hacking techniques are good for almost everyone to know who might need to defend an information system. (Who knows, one day your hacking skills may end up being of benefit to your family, friends, company, community or even your nation. And I think ROM hacking is a good way to start hacking.) After all you can't defend against what you don't know. But then again you can't master or develop any skill set without practice. So to learn to defend against cracking you must also know how to hack. It's very much like the fact that it order to defend the public against an armed attacker, a policeman must first learn to use a gun himself. That's just the way it is. (Then again as a policeman or soldier you can't just shoot at any old target and claim that you were merely practicing for future benefit. You must carefully choose your targets so no-one will be harmed by your practice.) But with that "targeting caveat" I'll say that studying a thing is good, but practicing it is really how you master it. I think though that in the end, like anything in life, it primarily depends on how you use the skills you possess, and to what end. If you set out to learn to hack to do harm, or with criminal intent, it will return to you in harm. If you learn how to hack in order to do some good, to assist or defend others, and to help yourself and others, then in my opinion, it is a skill set worth possessing and mastering. Especially in the modern world. With hacking and vadding and things like that it's always a balance between what you can learn and do and how you use what you know, versus the potential threat to security and the legality of the effort. So my advice to you is, if your intention and motivation is good then by all means learn to hack. But in doing so exercise self-control and restraint, do no harm, and respect who and what you target, because after all, you can harm others just as easily by neglect and recklessness, as you can by intentional malice. Measured and controlled risk is always preferable to reckless and uncontrolled risk.That's my opinion, and I know you didn't ask for it, but I hope you (and maybe others) will think about it and that it may help in some way.Good luck with your biotech job hunt too. I have a keen interest in biotech and genetics and biochemistry myself. So, happy hunting.I can see why. That's a lot of hours working. If it's possible (and I don't know your situation of course) then maybe you should slow down a little. I nearly worked myself into a heart attack once. I eventually became exhausted and contracted the flu and followed that up with a dose of pneumonia. Which was very rough, but still better than a heart attack I reckon. After I recovered from the pneumonia and exhaustion, which took months, I slowed down and my chest pains went away and haven't come back. Overwork (and I like to work) can take a toll on ya.</blockquote>

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