whitewig

[D. Hageman]

On Wed, 16 Mar 2005, Jonathan Hutchins wrote:

> On Wednesday 16 March 2005 03:02 pm, D. Hageman wrote:
>
>> On a side note - we pretty much have to accept the general media
>> distorting the term hacker has modified the definition to the point that
>> it has a new meaning that may not be a good one.
>
> Nonsense.  "Hacking" was inclusive of cracking until some self-righteous
> hackers decided they wanted to set themselves above and apart from those
> nasty "crackers", so they tried to patch the language by insisting their
> definition was correct.  Never works.  Language is what people mean, not what
> they're supposed to mean.

I understand what you are saying and indeed I would agree.  The issue is 
intent.  If you are playing a practical joke on someone - it is a hack. 
If you are malicious then you are cracker.

The meaning of a word or phrase in a language is what is understood.
I am sure you have never gotten into trouble by someone misunderstanding
what you were saying.  ;-)  The road to hell is paved with good 
intentions?  I forget how the old adage goes . . .

>> On another side note - If a person calls themselves a hacker - they aren't
>> a hacker.
>
> Sure they are.  The're someone who hacks stuff.  Just as a writer can call
> themselves a hack.  It may have a connotation of elite coolness to you, but
> that's just you.
>
> Like I said before, the term and concept pre-date computers.  I'm a hardware
> hacker, I can hack code if I have to, I have friends who have hacked other
> kinds of systems.  True hacking is in the mind of the hacker.

The writer usually calls themselves a hack because in that connotation is 
means something else.  It usually means they are a horrible writer.  I may 
repair my own vehicles, but I won't call myself a mechanic.  I may write 
some, but I won't call myself a writer.  I only call myself a programmer 
since I have been paid to do this task for many years.

You are correct that the term pre-dates computers.  It used to be a good 
hack was a good practical joke.  As I stated before ... languages evolve. 
If they didn't - words and definitions wouldn't be added to the dictionary 
every year. ;-)

You know what happens if you don't evolve right?  Wait ... n/m that is a 
debate for another day. :-)

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||  D. Hageman                    <dhageman at dracken.com>  ||
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