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From: chrisp@oliven.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: cracker
Message-ID: <155@oliven.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 14-Jun-84 17:17:01 EDT
Article-I.D.: oliven.155
Posted: Thu Jun 14 17:17:01 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 22-Jun-84 03:44:09 EDT
Organization: Olivetti ATC, Cupertino, Ca
Lines: 34

>Well, pardon me!  But words do change in meaning over the years.  Frequently
>they take on an entirely new meaning.  Besides, "hacker" is not necessarily
>equal to "hack".

If one looks at the people and activities that have been described in the press,
it is very clear that "hacker" is derivative from "hack", particularly def #3.

>                 Who out in net-land have heard of definitions (3), (4),
>and (5).  Probably not too many people (I'm not saying one way or the other
>about me, though).

Working in computers need not be a substantial impediment to basic literacy.
Perhaps a little remedial work is in order.

>                  Don't be too hard on the use of the word hacker to denote
>a programmer.

First, I will note that the label "programmer" is applied almost as loosely as
the label "engineer": as in "maintenance engineer", "field engineer", etc.
One finds people who are functioning as data clerks, software technicians, etc.
all being labeled programmers. One also finds a lot of "shade tree mechanics"
being called programmers. If any of these people want to call themselves
"hackers" they are welcome to do so.

On the other hand, a REAL programmer is an engineer in the classical meaning
of the label. Da Vinci, Brunell, the Wright brothers and Eifel were all
engineers in the classical sense of the word. There are examples in the
programming area too such as Backus. While I do not make any claims to be in
the company of the people I have listed, I am enough of a programmer that the
first nerd who tries to call me a "hacker" will be forcefully encouraged to
retrieve his/her words. The word is an insult of the first order.

				Chris P