4 Aug
1999
4 Aug
'99
9:03 p.m.
On Wed, 4 Aug 1999, Aaron Christopher Finney wrote:
I did a paper on "hackers" for a Computer
Sociology class a few years ago.
In my research, I came across some really interesting articles that, even
in 1984 (when they were written), were arguing what the real definition of
"hacker" is. They described the early MIT "hackers", many of whom
became
so wrapped up in their projects that they never bothered to fulfill their
degree requirements. And those who were breaking into sophisticated,
secure systems for the pure joy and challenge. And those committing all
kinds of crimes with their particularly malicious kind of genius. So
people didn't really know what a hacker was 15 years ago either.
Well, I give priority to first use, which goes to the MIT Hackers. All
that adopted the term subsequently are just posers.
There's been a lot of PC-thug pressure to make
"hacker" into some kind of
superhero working for the good of society and the pure love of computing
and make "cracker" into some kind of maniac bent on the senseless
destruction of innocent computers everywhere. Then the issue is clouded
further by other terms like script-kiddies, cypherpunks, etc.
I think this comes out of the offense taken by those whom consider
themselves hackers in the real and original sense. I guess they have a
point. But those in the know will always be able to differentiate between
a hacker and some other loser.
Sellam Alternate e-mail: dastar(a)siconic.com
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