PhreakNIC is an annual hacker and technology convention held in Nashville, Tennessee, in the United States. It is organized by the Nashville 2600 Organization and draws upon resources from SouthEastern 2600 (se2600). The Nashville Linux User Group was closely tied with PhreakNIC for the first 10 years, but is no longer an active participant in the planning. First held in 1997, PhreakNIC continues to be a long-time favorite among hackers, security experts and technology enthusiasts. PhreakNIC currently holds claim as the oldest regional hacker con and is one of the few hacker cons run by a 501(c)(3) tax-free charity. The conference currently attracts about 350 attendees, with steady growth every year. PhreakNIC consists of presentations held by various volunteers on a variety of subjects. Usually there is a theme for the conference, but the presentation topics may stray from the theme. There is also an anime room showing films at all hours and a hospitality lounge. The entire hotel is networked, top to bottom, with Ethernet to guest rooms and to conference presenters and 802.11b wireless access at all other points. The Nashville Linux Users Group held a Linux Installfest from PhreakNIC 3 through PhreakNIC X. PhreakNIC is attended by hackers and other technology enthusiasts from across the United States, although, as a regional conference, most of its attendees come from a 2-state radius around Tennessee, including groups from Missouri, Ohio, Washington, DC, Georgia, Kentucky, Alabama, and of course, Tennessee. As PhreakNIC is held in downtown Nashville, near the Tennessee Titans stadium, the exact date for PhreakNIC is not announced each year until the NFL releases its schedule in April. PhreakNIC is intentionally scheduled not to coincide with a Titans home game, to give conference organizers full reign over the venue. However, PhreakNIC is typically held around the time of Halloween.
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