Interview with BanDiDo / DOD & RiSC

Haven't heard of either BanDiDo or DOD ? Well, DOD stands
for Drink Or Die. It's one of the longest lasting groups in
the Warez Scene. It's a utils group, one of the best there
is. And BanDiDo, well, he is a respected council in both
DOD and RISC. He has been in the Scene since the oldskool
days. And he knows what it's all about. Here you will
see a bit about how he thinks about the old days, and
the present days. Enjoy, and be sure to check out the
great DOD page at : www.drinkordie.com

[biXen] :
Hello BanDiDo, Let's start with your age, full nick, nationality
and which groups you have been in.

[BanDiDo] :
Ok, to start with I was born in 1962....I am English (I live in
Australia). I started my *Career* back in the BBS days way
back. Then I founded ViCE couriers in 1995 I think it was, then I
joined DRiNK OR DiE and Razor 1911. I was also in RCN at one point
before it died. I am currently RiSC council and DOD council.

[biXen] :
Can you tell us a bit about your work in the groups, for example
in RiSC and DOD as council, what is it you do for them ?

[BanDiDo] :
Well, in terms of RiSC... I help with site adds since I am +siteop
on about 20 sites. And I do some PR & logistical work. In terms
of DOD, I basically am part of the few people who actually run
DOD in terms of operations. I concent rate on site duties mostly,
although I recruit & do release work as needed. Basically I do
it all as needed.

[biXen] :
When did you first notice that there was something called
the Scene, and how did you notice it ?

[BanDiDo] :
Wow that is a question that makes me think. Well I started
off during the BBS era, I found my way onto the local pirate
boards, and eventually onto mainstream systems. I suppose
all those mysterious nfos made us all wonder what more
there was, some of us stuck around to find out :). I miss
analouge days, the Scene is a sad place to be now in some
ways. It is changing and not for the better.

[biXen] :
Do you have any skills, like cracking or coding ?

[BanDiDo] :
No, personally I don't code, I can barely write a batch
file that doesn't hate me :) I do however have a rather
nice team capable of coding and cracking anything.

[biXen] :
So how did you actually get into the scene without
having any special skills ?

[BanDiDo] :
Ah skills... well I have always led groups, so I suppose
I have a measure of organizational ability. I was always
a trader too. I suppose I have proved over time to many
in the scene I have some ethics and tend to work rather
hard. DOD doesn't tend to have incapable people running
areas of responsability. If you mean skills in terms of
coding and such, no, as I mentioned, I have others that
are capable of all those things. I myself sadly never had
the patience to learn to code, I wish I did though. Coding
is the real *essence* of the PC world, and I admire
anyone who had the patience to develop skills.

[biXen] :
Why did you start the group ViCE and how did it go ?

[BanDiDo] :
ViCE was the first group I was ever in... I suppose
it arose out of a desire of one or two people to
enter the larger scene. ViCE was great for years,
until the scene started to change.That is a long
story. The current bunch of morons using the name
*VICE* has no sanction to do so,  and most of the
scene know it. It was a great group for the years
it existed. It's death almost had to happen, the
courier scene is in danger of becoming extinct.
With the recent busts, and more on the cards,
more and more sites will abandon couriers.
The new groups doesn't verify their people,
any fool can join a group and get on some site,
very dangerous.

[biXen] :
What policy does DOD have about Couriers ? Do you
use your own group, or external courier groups ?

[BanDiDo] :
DOD uses internal couriers only. We have several
good ones from RiSC & DEV etc.  DOD has a strict
policy, we release only to DOD HQs, we never send
DOD releases to other sites, no matter how *good*
the release is. And we send to ALL DOD sites, even
the slowest and smallest and most obscure gets
DOD pre. We have a great relationship with out site-
ops, and most DOD sites have been with us a long time.

[biXen] :
How about member application, what do you demand
from people who wants to join DOD ?

[BanDiDo] :
DOD has one major criteria, we look first to
*friendship*, from that all else springs. Of course
applicants need to provide whatever is needed
as per their reason to apply. But the main thing is
long term friendship. Most DOD has been with us
for years, and I cannot remember anyone when
anyone left DOD. I have personally rejected a
great number of applicants who did not fit our
personality type. We have no need of egomaniacs,
we seek those who wish to be part of the family,
and unlike some other groups, DOD actually is
a close knit family.

[biXen] :
Since you didn't have any "real" skills, how did you
end up in DOD, by friendship ?

[BanDiDo] :
I have been in DOD for many years now, I started
out as a trader, then site coordinator when I was
promoted to Senior, and finally Council.  As I stated
previously I do all things really.

[biXen] :
What is in your opinion the biggest difference
between the Scene when you joined it and how it
is today ?

[BanDiDo] :
Oh easy... once upon a time the Scene was Elite for real.
You had to know a guy who knew a guy who knew a 
guy etc. And of course trading was legit. Nowadays
there are a million newbies, which infect us, most of
which are never checked out. And of course after
PFTP, the whole courier Scene is a complete joke,
and thus is fast becoming redundant. We have lost
a lot of the alure and the little secrecy we had. I fear
the Scene is far too open and few pay enough
heed to the real dangers of what we do.

[biXen] :
Have you ever been close to getting busted or
anything like that ? Any incidents with members or
something ?

[BanDiDo] :
I cannot be busted, I have no warez here... And it
is not a crime to be in a group. I have however,
known many people who have been busted over
the years. Some due to their own stupidity, but
the majority due to "narcs". (Another unwelcome
part of the newbie attacks we suffer from)

[biXen] :
What is a "narc" ?

[BanDiDo] :
A narc... is a wholly loathsome creature, who
for personal reasons, or for pleasure, gains much
pleasure out of informing authorities of the
activities and/or personal information  of those
he/she called *friends*. Many sites and a number
of individuals have fallen to such  low-life
creatures. Sadly the Net attracts such bottom-
dwellers, people who in real life noone would
talk to, and the anonimity of IRC  is a place they
revel in. Some of us though, maintain ethics
and standards still....

[biXen] :
Did or do you have any idols ?

[BanDiDo] :
Ahh scene idols ! Well, let me tell you a story...
I remember in my local BBS days, reading things
like DOD nfos... all those site names, and those
mystical nicks... then years later I found myself
invited to the channel #DOD ( I had a supply or
two), and finally saw some of the nicks. Well it
was meeting pop stars, and to this day, old
legends like EViLTEA, Thepep, bob226 and many
others are my real idols. But my true idols are
old friends, like bcre8tiv, PsedO, fo_twenny and
so many others. In short I adolize true friends
on IRC.

[biXen] :
Do you ever regret your time spent in the Scene ?

[BanDiDo] :
Nope, and for years I was online 12 hours a day, 7
days a week. Loved every minute.

[biXen] :
Do you ever keep your eyes on other groups, if
so how ?

[BanDiDo] :
Oh I have spies all over. I get intelligence on almost
everything that occurs. Everyone knows I tell no
tales, and I have a lot of friends in all groups. So I
am fairly well informed. At a high level, some of us
important intelligence that effects all groups.

When I say spies I mean tongue in cheek...I care
little for what other groups do, although I get told
most of the things that go on.

[biXen] :
Name the things you would do to have the best  day
of your life.

[BanDiDo] :
Hrmm... Win a few million dollars in the lottery,
then I could go to Europe or something and buy some
100MB pipies :)  Money baby... with money the rest is
just shopping for what you want :)

[biXen] :
Any things you want to tell the people that read this ?
Some hints to don't make them act like lamers when
trying to join the Scene or something ? :)

[BanDiDo] :
Getting into the Scene is not so hard nowadays...
Remember the Scene is a wide church...groups  like
ZERAW who concentrate on public type site work
do amazing things.  As far as Major League, well it
takes time and contacts. You don't build trust in one
day. But anyone stupid enough can easily waste
hundreds of hours a year in the warez Scene, it
just takes some time & efforts to get in :)

[biXen] :
Okay, any final words or greets ?

[BanDiDo] :
Oh I am happy to greet anyone who still holds true
to the core values of the scene, I hope more people
start to realize that we play a dangerous game. We
are not protected by obscurity, we are not invisible,
and when you play with fire, you can indeed get
burnt. I hope folk remember, make damn sure who
you are talking to on IRC, verify anyone close to you.
Be careful , this is not a game we play...and prison
is not a nice thing guys...