Differences between version 4 and predecessor to the previous major change of Hacker.
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| Newer page: | version 4 | Last edited on Saturday, October 9, 2004 2:30:09 am | by AristotlePagaltzis | Revert |
| Older page: | version 3 | Last edited on Saturday, February 21, 2004 6:26:46 pm | by AristotlePagaltzis | Revert |
@@ -1,18 +1,15 @@
-This
is best defined
in [JargonFile:hacker
]:
+By and large, [Hacker]
is roughly used as a reference to a creative, capable programmer. "Programmer" here is to be understood
in the wider sense; it would apply to a
[DBA
] with intricate understanding of his DataBase just the same, f.ex. In fact, the term applies to anyone with expertise in any kind of technical field
: someone who designs and builds a custom turbo charger for his car's engine is a highly respectable car [Hacker].
-;: [[ Originally
, someone who makes furniture with
an axe
]
+A "hack" is any kind of minimalistic solution or lateral thinking approach to a problem. That might be a quick and dirty patchwork that works anyhow
, or
an elegant solution that is much simpler than the "ordinary" one. "Hack value" is a term used to describe just how creative or ingenious a solution is; sometimes, [Hacker
]s will do things with little or no practical use simply because they have great hack value.
-## A person
who enjoys exploring
the details
of programmable systems and how
to stretch their capabilities
, as opposed
to most users, who prefer to learn only the minimum necessary
. %%% %%%
-## One who programs enthusiastically (even obsessively) or who enjoys programming rather than just theorizing about programming. %%% %%%
-##
A person capable of appreciating
[JargonFile:hack-value
]. %%% %%%
-## A person who is good at programming quickly. %%% %%%
-## An expert at a particular program
, or one who frequently
does work using it
or on it; as
in 'a Unix hacker'. (Definitions 1 through 5 are correlated, and people who fit them congregate.) %%% %%%
-## An expert or enthusiast of any kind. One might be
an astronomy hacker, for example. %%% %%%
-## One who enjoys the intellectual challenge of creatively overcoming or circumventing limitations. %%% %%%
-## __[[deprecated]__ A malicious meddler who tries
to discover sensitive information by poking around. Hence password hacker, network hacker. %%% The correct term for this sense is [JargonFile:cracker]
.
+[Hacker]s are __not__ people
who just break into computers. Most of those who do fall into
the ScriptKiddie and Cracker categories. Unlike ScriptKiddie~s, Crackers usually do have some understanding of the subject matter they take advantage
of to break into computers
, but they often acquire it
as the means
to accomplish other goals
. A real
[Hacker
] may crack services or computers as well
, but usually
does so in pursuit of better understanding
or in an attempt
to prove something
.
-Hackers start at [Geek] and tend toward [Nerd].
+Still, the whole story about the noble and sublime [Hacker] ethic is often exaggerated and overemphasized. [Hacker]s are no more inherently saintly than anyone else. The difference between [Hacker]s and Crackers/ScriptKiddie~s is mostly merely in that the [Hacker] is driven by curiosity. However, a transgression out of curiosity is still a trangression, no less so than one committed out of malice.
+
+
Hackers often
start at [Geek] and tend toward [Nerd], but they need not necessarily be [Geek]s at all, even though such is a rare case
.
See also:
-* [A hacker glossary|http://tlc.discovery.com/convergence/hackers/glossary/glossary.html]
-* [Care and Feeding Of Your Hacker|http://web.demigod.org/~zak/geek/hack.shtml]
+* [JargonFile:hacker]
+* [JargonFile:hack-value]
+
* [A hacker glossary | http://tlc.discovery.com/convergence/hackers/glossary/glossary.html]
+* [Care and Feeding Of Your Hacker | http://web.demigod.org/~zak/geek/hack.shtml]
