<p> In this panel, longtime attendees and website admins of New York City’s <em> 2600 </em> meeting will explain how an event that began in the 1980s as a simple way for local hackers to meet each other in person has grown into a major and vital part of the worldwide hacker community. The panel will recap the history of <em> 2600 </em> meetings, and explain the basics for those interested in getting involved with an existing meeting or starting a new one. Issues involved in operating a <em> 2600 </em> meeting’s web presence will also be addressed. There will most certainly be a recounting of some favorite meeting stories and experiences, and the lasting effects the meetings have had on all sorts of lives. </p>