Differences between version 5 and predecessor to the previous major change of Hacker.
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| Newer page: | version 5 | Last edited on Saturday, October 9, 2004 5:47:51 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 so are ScriptKiddie~s
and Crackers, not [Hacker]s. Crackers, unlike ScriptKiddie~s, actually understand
how breaking into computers works
, but acquire this knowledge
as a means
to accomplish their goals
rather than a primary interest
. A real
[Hacker
] on the other hand may crack services
or computers
as well
, but will usually
be doing 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]
