Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site ncsu.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!genrad!decvax!mcnc!ncsu!mauney From: mauney@ncsu.UUCP (Jon Mauney) Newsgroups: net.followup Subject: Re: Definitions of 'Hacker' Message-ID: <2746@ncsu.UUCP> Date: Mon, 17-Dec-84 09:48:50 EST Article-I.D.: ncsu.2746 Posted: Mon Dec 17 09:48:50 1984 Date-Received: Thu, 20-Dec-84 01:16:18 EST References: <2612@dartvax.UUCP> <121@vax2.fluke.UUCP> <429@ut-sally.UUCP>, <6236@mcvax.UUCP> Organization: N.C. State University, Raleigh Lines: 21 > Interesting that all the definitions of hacker in the sense of programmer > were complimentary: they must have been written by people who considered > themselves hackers! In England (where I come from) I always heard the word > used as an insult, meaning someone who programs without thinking first. Aha! but you see, if you can program without thinking first, and get away with it, then you must be very smart; and then you can say: "Just imagine how marvelous I would be if I went through the planning that those other drudges have to go through. But why bother? I'm already brilliant, why ruin the fun just to obtain a small improvement in maintainability and self-documentation?" Describing yourself as a hacker, and meaning it positively, is boasting. -- Jon Mauney, mcnc!ncsu!mauney Computer Hacking Department North Carolina State University "Oh, I'm a systems hack and I'm OK, I work all night and I sleep all day;"