The first wave.

I used to pirate software like a ninja. In school, at work, from friends, where ever I encountered a beige box I had a disk to fit. I could go to the other side and back you wouldn't know. If you caught me I could look back at you like I just took out your trash. Naturally, If you were standing over me you we're complicit in the piracy. Hoping to gain some equal return.

Creatives are surrounded by tons of software. Its part of the culture of working in the Silicon Valley that you need software–an addiction. Like the zipped out guru engineers with questionable habits who work like machines, hacker habits are overlooked in the Bay Area. Or, were.

A little history. I recently wrote a letter recalling my early education. In the late 80s early 90s the computer was a mystery to many. Much free time (time not devoted to class work load) was devoted to learning software packages. It fitted into the culture of absorbing important information in university-–do what you need to get a job. It also fitted into the climate of design culture at the time. Many professionals felt the same dull pressure to both learn new methods and adapt. I was among the flood of students coming out of school with both design training and computer culture. The first wave.