Everyone likes a good, clean practical joke here and there, right?
Well…
I pulled a great computer prank on the computer god himself…. Brandon Martus
So I’m sitting here on a boring Sunday night talking on aim to Brandon. Any who, another team member aim’s me and tells me some stuff. He then proceeds to tell me that it’s just what he aim’ed with Brandon. That gives me an idea.
[Background of Joke]
For those of you who don’t know, to a computer nerd, the worst thing that can happen is a compromise in your security. For someone to be able to see files on your computer / personal information is a huge risk that informed people don’t want to take.
In Brandon’s case, he attempts to be so secure that he uses an ssh shell for his aim so that when he’s using a remote connection, people can’t just read his im’s. He told me about this and threw a screen shot of the ghetto program up on the web. What he didn’t know is that this image would be the key to the prank which I would create.
2 to 3 months pass…
The prank starts at about 10:15 on a Sunday night. I’m aim’ing with Brandon and another member on my team. My team member tells me some stuff and then tells me that it’s exactly what he just im’ed to Brandon. This gives me an idea; Let’s tell Brandon that I’m cracking into his computer and can read his aim contacts and who he’s talking to…
However, Brandon is a smart guy and won’t fall for something easily. In order for this prank to work, he’ll need to be distracted. The CD server begins to crash and now he’s focused on trying to restore the site; the perfect time for a strike.
I begin by telling him that I’ve cracked his computer and can see his aim contacts and who he’s chatting with. I start by telling him that he’s talking to me. Brandon replays smartly (thinking that no one can get into his computer) with: WOO! YOU WIN A PRIZE Then I say that he just talked to the member on my team. Of course though, with just that, he’s not going to believe me. So, I dig into my memory and remember the screen shot of his aim. I took me a while to find the image buried on his website, but I finally did. The lists of his contacts were a little fuzzy, but I made out the screen names the best I could. Even though I most likely misspelled a few of them, I got enough to make him really believe that I cracked his computer.
I really had him going…
So, I finally broke down and told him… Piece by piece. Finally, he got it. The screen shot.
For Brandon’s defense, he was very occupied with problems on the CD web server and the friendly, fast, helpful support personnel at venturesonline. Also, there was no security hole in Brandon’s computer. Rather, he just thought that he could trust a 15 year old with a semi-list of his aim contacts. I’m sure he’ll never do that again. And, because Brandon’s cool he can take a joke & laugh.
What’s the best practical joke you’ve pulled (remember to keep it nice)?
Have fun,
Jack