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From: wrs@cmu-cs-k.ARPA (Walter Smith)
Newsgroups: net.followup
Subject: Re: hackers
Message-ID: <210@cmu-cs-k.ARPA>
Date: Tue, 11-Dec-84 15:11:58 EST
Article-I.D.: cmu-cs-k.210
Posted: Tue Dec 11 15:11:58 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 13-Dec-84 02:20:04 EST
Organization: Carnegie-Mellon University, CS/RI
Lines: 22

>From lanl!jlg :

>I still can't figure out why any legitimate computer user would use the
>term 'hacker' to describe himself (herself).  'Hacker' has ALWAYS been
>a derogatory term in the computer industry; refering, as it does, to
>a computer trickster who is not interested in learning the discipline
>or techniques required to program professionally.

Which computer industry are you in?  Definitions of "hacker" vary so widely
that the word is completely useless for talking between environments (the
CMU CS department and Chase Manhattan Bank do not use the same definition,
for example).  Apparently the definition in Stanford/MIT's jargon file is
very different from the definition in lanl!jlg's mind.  Someone who is proud
to call him/herself a hacker most likely comes from an environment where the
word has positive connotations.  Perhaps it would be a good idea to give the
definition of "hacker" one is using before putting the word in a message, to
avoid confusion.  This applies to Newsweek articles as well.
-- 
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