Hacker

In society, the term hacker has been used as both a compliment and a derogatory term. In its original sense, it is used to describe one who is an expert, a problem solver, and generally a brilliant programmer. In the media and in society, however, the term has come to mean criminals who illegally break into computer networks and systems.

Two sides of the Coin

Hackers as criminals

The media have generally painted hackers as computer security criminals. Some proponents of the original meaning of the term "hacker" (knowledge seekers) call these people crackers, to specifically point out these people "crack security."

Hackers as Knowledge Seekers

The original meaning of the term hacker was someone who had great technical knowledge. A hack was something to be proud of, usually described as pushing something beyond its design limits. People who usually "hacked on" certain projects would have descriptive names bestowed upon them, thus someone who wrote a lot of kernel code would come to be called a "kernel hacker," or someone who worked on and was knowledgeable with the Unix operating system would come to be called a "Unix hacker."

Other Uses

MIT Hackers

At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the term "hack" takes on a meaning that is more analogous with a practical joke. In that vein, a hacker is someone (or a group of people), usually students, who conceive and execute a "hack." For example, placing a campus police patrol car on the dome of the MIT building is considered an accomplished hack, both for its technical difficulty and the visual humor it provokes.

Jargon File Definition

The Jargon file describes a hacker as "One who enjoys the intellectual challenge of creatively overcoming or circumventing limitations."

Related Topics

• Computer security
• Cracker
• Information assurance

External links

How To Become A Hacker by Eric S. Raymond. Describes how to become a hacker in the "traditional sense" - someone with "technical adeptness and a delight in solving problems and overcoming limits"