The Offline Era...

Between 2003 and most of 2005, OP-EZY existed purely offline. Although, version 0.0.2 of the site was still live, it wasn't being actively developed. I created a small, innocent looking program in Visual Basic 6 called "My Stuff". What wasn't obvious, was that clicking on a small part hidden in the program would display a password box. When the correct password was entered, another password box would show (as well as an in-joke created by James regarding two companies), this password box was used to identify who was using the program, when the correct password was entered here, the hidden section of OP-EZY was revealed showing what parts of the High School's network we had hacked, or knew extra information about!

Another program I created just a little after "My Stuff" for OP-EZY was the "Pont High Network", this program was supposed to allow users connect to two H drive (home directories) together, by executing the NET USE command in Windows without people having to learn about the command prompt. Sadly, I had not really researched how Windows servers and Active Directory worked at the time, if I had done, I'd have realised you can't map driver under different user names! My bad! Program was discontinued weeks later! (Update 2010-10-16: Turns out there was a work around all along: Workaround)

The Ponteland High Network also included an Easter Egg which invlolved clicking on the OP-EZY logo in the "Help" box, this would load this About OP-EZY flash animation in full screen...

OP-Tools was released next, this was based on an idea by Peter Nesbitt (who was part of OP-EZY/Alpha Nova during the offline era as our C Programmer), he had created a Batch file (.bat) which would display a menu in command prompt and allow the user to choose tasks (like launch task manager). I took his idea and make a graphical version in VB6

Around that time, there was a bug discovered in the schools network system. If someone rebooted their machine, rather than logging out, they were unable to log in again. Teachers were able to fix this, as they had permissions to access the C drive, students did not. Teacher didn't have the confidence to fix the issue, so you had to file an issue with the techies to get your account fixed on that machine. OP-EZY created a tool that teachers could execute and fix the problem with minimal instructions. Simply log into the offending computer, run the program, type the user's username, and press "Fix My Login". Problem solved!

WinMX fixer was also created about the same time, as the RIAA had decided to shut down the illegal file sharing service. After the first workaround was discovered, OP-EZY created a program that would automate the process of editing the HOSTS file on a PC to point at the new WinMX servers. This didn't get distributed very far, as a much better patch was released days after! This was the first time OP-EZY had really contributed anything on a world wide scale!

Alpha Nova

OP-EZY Login Fixer and WinMX Fixer were both created, just before the First incarnation of OP-EZY dissolved into what was to be known as Alpha Nova, a shot lived hacking group with some of the former OP-EZY members, and the introduction of Adam Dean (A.K.A. Raul364). The next program we created was a replacement access to command prompt. As the admins had always blocked CMD.EXE, we had been using a batch program that would access the legacy COMMAND.COM included in Windows XP. We created Alpha DOS (ADOS) to replace the batch file, it was programmed in QuickBASIC, and distributed round the Alpha Nova members..., The usual Black Screen with White Text aroused suspicions though, and we were told to stop using it. As a publicity stunt, to get back at the techies, we installed VNC onto all the computers (one at a time, without being seen) so we could tap into any of the machine in use. We almost got expelled! That put an end to Alpha Nova, and out of it, I started a legit software creation project simply called PCHS Soft.

Firstly, we created the message sending program, which allowed people to message others using the NET SEND command in Windows, sadly, this was quickly abused, and the messenger service was disabled from all the computers in the school, rendering the tool useless!

But the first (and only) program to actually bare the PCHS Soft name was ironically called: OP-EZY On Screen Keyboard, as I had developed a Beta version before the whole Alpha Nova thing kicked off! (Mentioned in The Ponteland High Network's about OP-EZY box) This allowed people to type passwords into websites, for example, without a keylogger logging what was typed. (OP-EZY had originally discovered some logs by a piece of software called SpyAnyTime, floating around in one of the hidden drives, and we got a little paranoid when we saw passwords logged, and even stuff from my username (accessing the C drive from command prompt!). OSK wasn't useful if the logger was logging the clipboard, but there was no evidence of SpyAnyTime doing this!
On Screen Keyboard was the only program to actually be considered fully installable application (that could be removed via the Control Panel in Windows). It made it to a floppy disk release (a technology that was still being used in Ponteland High even as late as 2005!... so much so, you could actually buy a blank floppy disk from the Library for 50p!)

Ponteland High Pirate Radio

Mid 2005, Me and Tom Bullimore had an idea to set up a radio station. Our intent was to hijack the school's PA system with pre-recorded shows. After realising this would be impossilbe, and stupid, we then looked into building low powered FM transmitters to host on a free spot on the FM band. I created a site for it, all in Flash, and hosted it on tripod.com.

Though this wasn't strictly OP-EZY, the idea later developed into OP-EZY International Pirate Radio

We created a sound mixer for the DJs, this was, once again, written in VB6, and used Windows Media Player for the acutal audio playing. This could then be passed on to Win Amp's Shoutcast plugin, or a sound recording program for recorded programs, via the Stereo Mix loop back device on the sound card

OP-EZY later returned on 27th Novemeber 2005 when OP-EZY International Pirate Radio was launched. We continute to develop software during our online era. These later tools are mentioned later on in the time machine.