Hackpack

A hackpack is a backpack with a set of "always carry" tools for hacking the world around us.

We are starting a project at sudo room to create ~$25 base hackpacks with optional expansion packs.

We have a mailing list where we discuss everything related to hack packs.

People currently working on project: Tunabananas, Matt, Mackenzie, Juul.

Base hackpack

Target price <= $30

This is only an initial possible version. It may be too electronics-focused. Comments/changes welcome.

• A backpack (get from thrift store and wash at high temp)
• Soldering iron (should be 30 watts)
• Set of small screwdrivers (at least philips and flat-head)
• Needle-nose pliers
• Diagonal wire-cutters (these will probably suck, but maybe we can sharpen them?)
• Larger screw-driver with assortment of bits
• USB to 3.3v serial adapter
• Multimeter

• Assortment of resistors
• Small assortment of diodes, caps, mosfets, buttons, switches, LEDs
• Female to female pin header cables (like these)
• Some male-male and female-male pin headers
• USB stick (2 GB minimum) with bootable Linux and lots of libre books / learning materials.
• Sharpie
• White china marker/chalk...something that will write on dark surfaces
• Zip ties
• Binder clips
• Hose clamps
• A small LED flasher, and/or instructions to make one?
• Shrink tubing
• A lighter
• A hot glue stick (melt it w/the lighter)
• USB wall plug w/decent amperage
• A spare USB cable for your smart (or dumb?) device
• Pair of disposable gloves (rubber or vinyl)
• Bandanna
• Snap knife w/locking blade
• Alcohol prep wipes or a small bottle of hand sanitizer with a screw top (no flip caps)
• A 1/2 gallon ziploc bag
• List of where to buy more of everything
• List of other awesome things to add to hackpack, what they do and where to buy
• A sudo room sticker
• An invitation to sudo room

Initial attempt at price assessment spreadsheet

Consumables

• Solder
• Wire of different colors and thicknesses
• Duct tape
• Yerba mate tea

Data

I do not think we have to worry about using CC material with the non-commercial clause, as we are not trying to make a profit (Juul (talk)).

Bootable GNU/Linux

Which distro? What should we include?

Books

• Cory Doctorow's works
• Most of John Sundman's works are CC, but not downloadable from his website anymore.
• Others?

Comics

• XKCD is cc-by-nc
• Futuristic Tales of the Here and Now based on stories by Cory Doctorow is cc-by-nc-sa
• There are others

Audiobooks

• ?

Art

We could have a set of cloth pens and let sudoers or buyers of hackpacks customize them.

Expansion packs

Essential reads

Dead-tree versions of $1 to $3 essential hacker works, e.g:

• Cryptonomicon, Snow Crash or The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson
• Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
• please add more

Cloth

Mackenzie is working on this. Current target is $5.

Some things that may go in the pack:

• Scissors - $1 at dollar store
• Sewing needles
• Pins
• Thread
• Tailors chalk
• Conductive thread
• Instruction manual/booklet

Gluepack

• Small glue gun
• Glue sticks
• Electricians tape

RXpack

Target price: $16

• A rtl-sdr compatible usb adapter (like this one)

Wifipack

Target price: $30

• A dual-radio OpenWRT compatible router
• Instructions on how to flash with sudowrt firmware and do interesting things like spectrum analysis.

Mate anywhere kit

Make tea and stay awake anywhere!

Target price: $10

• Silicone travel cup - $5 (cheaper at Koreana Plaza?)
• Travel water boiler - $3.38 (but meant for 220v :/)
• Tea ball - $1
• Ziplock of yerba mate