Trying to remember the name of a Mac warez site I used to go to

October 9, 2020 9:38 PM

When I first started college in 1996, I remember my friend telling me about a site where I could dial in and get cracks for various software. I went there a few times, but can't remember the name of it. I have no interest in pirating software; I just want to see if there are any articles about it. Here are the details I remember: - I remember it being exclusively for Mac applications. - It was really only possible to get on early in the morning and for only 20 or so minutes.
posted by reenum to Computers & Internet (6 answers total)

Best answer: Hotline maybe?
posted by rongorongo at 12:39 AM on October 10, 2020 [6 favorites]

Best answer: Yes, sounds like a particular Hotline server that was only up for brief periods of time. Hotline was heavily Mac-oriented at first and started getting popular in early 1997. Standalone serial number collections like HackUser were updated monthly and readily available on Hotline.
posted by porn in the woods at 6:37 AM on October 10, 2020 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Was it a BBS or an ftp site? If it was a BBS, lists of the old boards and their telephone numbers are circulating here and there (like this one covering Atlanta). Google for "year city bbs" and something should shake out.

I found this list of big FTP sites from the mid-90s - I hadn't thought about sumex or wuarchive.wustl.edu in...well, since the mid 90's.
posted by jquinby at 6:39 AM on October 10, 2020 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Is there any chance it was a Carracho server?
posted by ripley_ at 11:59 AM on October 10, 2020 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Wow, total blast from the past. I don’t think Carracho came on the scene until 1998-99 or so. KDX followed a few years later. I miss these days.
posted by porn in the woods at 6:00 PM on October 10, 2020

Response by poster: It had an odd name that I can't remember, but it could very well have been a Hotline server. Thanks all!
posted by reenum at 7:00 PM on October 10, 2020