Vadding

2 definitions found

From Jargon File (4.3.1, 29 Jun 2001) [jargon]:

  vadding /vad'ing/ n. [from VAD, a permutation of ADV (i.e., {ADVENT}),
     used to avoid a particular {admin}'s continual search-and-destroy sweeps
     for the game] A leisure-time activity of certain hackers involving the
     covert exploration of the `secret' parts of large buildings --
     basements, roofs, freight elevators, maintenance crawlways, steam
     tunnels, and the like. A few go so far as to learn locksmithing in order


     to synthesize vadding keys. The verb is `to vad' (compare {phreaking};
     see also {hack}, sense 9). This term dates from the late 1970s, before
     which such activity was simply called `hacking'; the older usage is
     still prevalent at MIT.
  
     The most extreme and dangerous form of vadding is `elevator rodeo',
     a.k.a. `elevator surfing', a sport played by wrasslin' down a
     thousand-pound elevator car with a 3-foot piece of string, and then
     exploiting this mastery in various stimulating ways (such as elevator
     hopping, shaft exploration, rat-racing, and the ever-popular drop
     experiments). Kids, don't try this at home! See also {hobbit} (sense 2).
  
  

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03) [foldoc]:

  vadding
       
           /vad'ing/ (From VAD, a permutation of ADV,
          i.e. {ADVENT}, used to avoid a particular {admin}'s continual
          search-and-destroy sweeps for the game) A leisure-time
          activity of certain hackers involving the covert exploration
          of the "secret" parts of large buildings - basements, roofs,
          freight elevators, maintenance crawlways, steam tunnels, and
          the like.  A few go so far as to learn locksmithing in order
          to synthesise vadding keys.  The verb is "to vad" (compare
          {phreaking}; see also {hack}, sense 9).  This term dates from
          the late 1970s, before which such activity was simply called
          "hacking"; the older usage is still prevalent at {MIT}.
       
          Vadding (pronounced /vay'ding/) was also popular {CMU}, at
          least as early as 1986.  People who did it every night were
          called the "vaders," possibly after "elevator," which was one
          of the things they played with, or "invader," or "Darth
          Vader".  This game was usually played along with
          no-holds-barred hide-and-seek.  CMU grad students were the
          known to pry open the inner doors of elevators between floors
          to see the graffiti on the inside of the outer doors.
       
          The most extreme and dangerous form of vadding is "elevator
          rodeo", also known as "elevator surfing", a sport played by
          wrasslin' down a thousand-pound elevator car with a 3-foot
          piece of string, and then exploiting this mastery in various
          stimulating ways (such as elevator hopping, shaft exploration,
          rat-racing, and the ever-popular drop experiments).  Kids,
          don't try this at home!
       
          See also {hobbit}.
       
          [{Jargon File}]
       
          (1996-01-07)