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From: neveu@lll-crg.ARPA (Charles Neveu)
Newsgroups: net.college
Subject: Re: Re: Programming vs. marks vs. initiative
Message-ID: <342@lll-crg.ARPA>
Date: Thu, 20-Dec-84 16:22:07 EST
Article-I.D.: lll-crg.342
Posted: Thu Dec 20 16:22:07 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 22-Dec-84 02:16:13 EST
References: <224@looking.UUCP> <14700004@uiucdcsb.UUCP> <797@watcgl.UUCP>
Organization: Lawrence Livermore Labs, CRG group
Lines: 23

I originally posted a request for a definition of "hack[er,ing]"
because I felt that we were arguing about several different things.
The number and variety of definitions seem to corroborate my guess. 
Personally, I like the following:

> How do you define "hacking"?  To me, it just refers to spending much time
> on computing for one's own pleasure, rather than because you are paid or
> required to.  Certainly, some people may waste this time.  However, others
> may learn.

I think the term "hacker" is neither complementary or depreciatory; it
is a colloquial term for "recreational programmer."  Like "golfer"
or "tennis player", it gives no indication of the skill level of the
participant.

As far as the other interpretations of "hacker", I think that someone
who breaks into computer data-bases and steals data or corrupts their system
is correctly called a "criminal", and one who writes needlessly complex, 
undocumented or bug-ridden code should correctly be referred to as a "jerk-off."

			Charles Neveu (not Neveau! or Robinson!)
			neveu@lll-crg