Prison Taps aka Knocking Mac Attack on MacBook Pro Trackpad (say that fast 3X)

Prison Taps aka Knocking Mac Attack on MacBook Pro Trackpad
(title tongue-twister complements of Gicassó)

Prison knocking, also known as "the knock code" or "prison taps," originated as a method of communication among prisoners, especially in situations where direct verbal communication was impossible or restricted, such as in solitary confinement or when prisoners were in separate cells. This code allowed inmates to communicate by tapping on walls, pipes, or other surfaces that could transmit sound.

The exact origins of prison knocking are difficult to trace, as it has been used in various forms for centuries across different cultures and prison systems worldwide. However, the practice became more widely documented in the 19th and 20th centuries, particularly in political prisons and totalitarian regimes where inmates were often isolated and monitored closely. In these environments, prisoners developed the knock code as a secretive way to share information, offer moral support, or organize resistance.

One of the most famous examples of prison knocking was used by American prisoners of war (POWs) during the Vietnam War, who developed a tap code based on a 5x5 grid of letters to communicate with each other while being held in captivity. This method allowed them to maintain morale and coordinate actions despite being isolated from one another.

Overall, prison knocking represents a resourceful adaptation to oppressive conditions, highlighting the human drive for connection and communication even in the most restrictive environments.

Prison knocking is indeed similar to Morse code in that both systems use a series of taps or signals to represent letters and words. However, there are some key differences between the two:

Morse Code: Developed in the early 1830s and 1840s by Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail, Morse code uses a combination of dots (short signals) and dashes (long signals) to represent each letter of the alphabet and numbers. It was primarily designed for long-distance communication via telegraph lines and later adapted for radio transmissions.

Prison Knocking (Tap Code): The prison tap code, or knock code, is a simpler system often based on a 5x5 grid of letters, omitting "K" to fit the English alphabet into 25 squares. In this system, letters are communicated by tapping a sequence that corresponds to the row and column of the letter in the grid. For example, the letter "C" might be tapped as "1 tap, pause, 3 taps" to indicate the first row, third column. Unlike Morse code, the tap code was designed for communication through walls or pipes in confined spaces, without the need for long-distance transmission.

Both systems are ingenious methods of encoding language into simple auditory signals, allowing for covert or constrained communication. Morse code, with its greater complexity, is better suited for a wider range of communication methods and long-distance use, while the prison tap code is designed for simplicity and ease of use in a highly restricted environment.