Okay, look, this is nothing personal. But this just keeps irking me over
and over again. This is a flame, but it's not just directed at you only.
It's directed at everyone who has ever said "teach me to be a hacker" or
"I need a teacher" or any of that crap:


  ***** THERE IS NO ONE WHO CAN TEACH YOU TO BE A HACKER EXCEPT YOURSELF.


  Okay? Is that perfectly clear? Let me expand a bit...

  * No amount of money you send to anyone will enable them to teach you
to be a hacker. They'll just take your money and laugh at you for being
gullible.

  * Read all the text files you want - it'll give you base knowledge,
be a good foundation, but it will not make you a hacker.

  * Hanging out with other hackers might help you become a hacker, but
it's no guarantee. Saying that "eYe M 2 elitE 4 U cuZ 1 aM 0n IRC w/the
eli7e hax0rzzzzZZz!" doesn't make it true.


  Hacking is about doing. It's about learning. It's about pushing the
limits. Nobody else can push your limits for you. Nobody else can learn
for you.

  Don't ask to be taught - teach yourself. Don't beg for knowledge - find
(or create) it yourself. Don't _just_ use exploits, try and find new ones
too. Don't ask people to make you into a hacker - become one yourself.


  And if any of this sounds easy to you, let me assure you - it isn't.


          -Ben