hacker != cracker (Re: Swartz, Weev & radical libertarian lexicon)

[Jim Bell]

From: James A. Donald <jamesd at echeque.com>

To: Adam Back <adam at cypherspace.org> 
Cc: cypherpunks at cpunks.org 
Sent: Tuesday, January 7, 2014 11:10 PM
Subject: Re: hacker != cracker (Re: Swartz, Weev & radical libertarian lexicon)
 

On 2014-01-08 07:20, Adam Back wrote:

>> Hacker in the sense of cracker was a later and much hated co-option and
>> perversion of the term.  I expect that's what Rysiek was reacting to
>> partly.

>The term hacker first appears 1975 - 1985, shortly after the start of 
>the information epoch, the age of information starting by convention 
>1972 January first.

>The term was originally an epithet, but not for criminal behavior:
>http://books.google.com/books?id=vpGNJfMmFswC&pg=PA32

>At that time, 1980, a hacker was someone who programs for entertainment 
>- badly.

See    http://tmrc.mit.edu/hackers-ref.html
     Tech Model Railroad Club
          Jim Bell


================quote follows===================

We at TMRC use the term "hacker" only in its original meaning, someone who
applies ingenuity to create a clever result, called a "hack". The essence
of a "hack" is that it is done quickly, and is usually inelegant. It
accomplishes the desired goal without changing the design of the system it
is embedded in. Despite often being at odds with the design of the larger
system, a hack is generally quite clever and effective. 
  This original benevolent meaning stands in stark contrast to the later and
more commonly used meaning of a "hacker", typically as a person
who breaks into computer networks in order to steal or vandalize. Here at
TMRC, where the words "hack" and "hacker" originated and have been used
proudly since the late 1950s, we resent the misapplication of the
word to mean the committing of illegal acts. People who do those things are
better described by expressions such as "thieves", "password crackers". or
"computer vandals". They are certainly not true hackers, as they do not
understand the hacker ethic. 
 Also see the definition of "hacker" in the on-line version of the New Hacker's
Dictionary. 
Reference info related to TMRC
This section lists books and other major publications that
reference TMRC. 
 The Tech Model Railroad Club is featured as
the first chapter of Hackers, by Steven Levy (New York: Anchor Press/Doubleday, 1984).  It is credited as one (possibly the
primary) source of the Hacker Culture the book describes. 
Several entries in The New Hacker's Dictionary,
(Second Edition, edited by Eric S. Raymond (MIT Press, 1993); ISBN 0-262-68079-3) are derived from Abridged Dictionary of the TMRC
Language.
There is also an online version of
the book's content. 
The cover article in Railroad Model Craftsman, July 1986 was a preview of the club for the 1986
NMRA convention held in Boston.  A converted copy of the text we submitted is available online. 

________________________________
 
Tech Model Railroad Club of  
MIT Room N52-118
265 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139 +1 617 253-3269
x3-3269 (on campus)
Email: tmrc-web at mit.edu
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