MindVox [related: Dead Lord, Lord Digital]
A legendary and controversial early Internet Service Provider (ISP) in New
York City, founded in 1991 by Dead Lord and
Lord Digital, former members of the
Legion of Doom
hacking group. Mindvox was
launched via a Bulletin Board test message posted by the infamous hacker
Phiber Optik
of the
Masters of Deception
while waiting for a
Manhattan Grand Jury Indictment. The initial opening of Mindvox as a public
ISP was announced via the essay "Voices in My Head" by Lord Digital, outlining
his vision for cyberspace (a term coined by novelist and poet
William Gibson) and detailing his experience as
both hacker and
narcotics
addict. The
service was riddled with in-jokes (often profane) and intentional obfuscation,
eventually folding due to the instability of its leadership structure, despite
lucrative buyout offers from both
Ma Bell
and
Viacom, although rumors of a continuing deep web invitation only "shadow service"
continue to this day (perhaps speaking to a "pink twilight".). While active, MindVox was a digital locus point for discussions on
various forms of harm reduction including drug legalization and LGBT rights
and notable for its role in the dissemination of
William Gibson's
Agrippa
in 1992 via staged "leak". The
adherence to cyberpunk aesthetics and values throughout MindVox's existence
stands in stark contrast to the concurrent emerging greed and corporatization
of various
Silicon Valley
companies, even those
launched by former hackers and techno-activists.
MindVox off-topic warning message:
-=/[ This Message Has Been FLUNG to the r0mPEr-RuM ]/=-
/\_-\
<((_))>
\- \/
/\_-\(:::::::::)/\_-\
<((_)) MindVox ((_))>
\- \/(:::::::::)\- \/
/\_-\
<((_))>
\- \/
-=/[ You have No Rights / [%] Symbolic Iron Cross [%] / Fascism & Tyranny ]/=-
We have found it necessary to violate your civil rights and CENSOR you.
Please refrain from engaging in any further THOUGHT CRIMES. You will
not receive additional warnings, consider yourself fortunate.
