[geeks] Oh. My. God.

[Bill Bradford]

I only wish the video capture had audio.  These guys get BOFH points. 8-)

(from a friend):

Date: Fri, 1 Feb 2002 13:41:27 +1030
From: Mark Newton
To: davidn at rebel.net.au
Cc: Simon Hackett , aussie-isp at aussie.net
Subject: Re: [Oz-ISP] [OT] I think I just drank a 10 year old can of coke

On Fri, Feb 01, 2002 at 12:41:38PM +1030, davidn at rebel.net.au wrote:

> Simon Hackett wrote:
> > Do video record the event and arrange (posthumously) for it to be
> > loaded on a web server somewhere. Its been far too long since an ISP
> > filmed their own suicide.
>
> I heard that an ISP installed a discotheque, complete with mirror balls
> and "Dancing Queen," in his machine room. I think that's on a web server
> somewhere, if you're interested. :-)

http://www.on.net/~newton/Simon.html .

After writing the email message linked to that page, Simon pissed off
to the US for a fortnight. While he was gone, we hooked a reed-switch
to the magnet which the security system uses to lock the door, and wired
it into the DCD pin via an RS232 breakout box.

We wired the DTR pin to an RS232-controlled 240-volt power switch, which
powered the lights and the mirror ball motor.

The breakout box was connected to a serial port on a rackmounted
server which we had equipped with a video capture card, which in turn
was connected to a video camera.

Software was written such that when the door was opened there'd be a
five second delay, after which the disco lights turned on, the mirror
ball started spinning, an SMS was sent to the culprits, and an MP3
player started playing the Bee Gees singing "Staying Alive." During
this the video camera would be streaming to hard disk for the duration
of the MP3. The resulting MPEG is 18 Mbytes in length, although most of
it is just an empty room after Simon had run away wimpering.

"It worked." :-)

- mark

--
Mark Newton Email: newton at internode.com.au (W)
Network Engineer Email: newton at atdot.dotat.org (H)
Internode Systems Pty Ltd Desk: +61-8-82232999
"Network Man" - Anagram of "Mark Newton" Mobile: +61-416-202-223

-- 
Bill Bradford
mrbill at mrbill.net
Austin, TX