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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;"