Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!seismo!mcnc!rutgers!ucla-cs!zen!ucbvax!hplabs!hp-pcd!uoregon!markv
From: markv@uoregon.UUCP (Mark VandeWettering)
Newsgroups: comp.os.vms
Subject: Re: hackers
Message-ID: <304@uoregon.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 26-Jul-87 16:14:04 EDT
Article-I.D.: uoregon.304
Posted: Sun Jul 26 16:14:04 1987
Date-Received: Wed, 29-Jul-87 06:56:55 EDT
References: <8707241636.AA21123@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>
Reply-To: markv@drizzle.UUCP (Mark VandeWettering)
Distribution: world
Organization: University of Oregon, Computer Science, Eugene OR
Lines: 37


[This is in response to the arguments that "hackers" compromise
important data files and cause lost work...]

First of all, I must confess that I see "hacker" in a purely Levy-ian
sense of the word.  Hackers are enamoured with the flexibility and
astounding power that computers have.  Manipulating complexity, in
essense, making the computer sit up and dance is very rewarding.

Occasionlly, I have come against the wrath of the department here, for
doing activities which on the surface seemed dangerous to the integrity
of the system.  (Installing new kernels is generally a no-no, as well as
testing kernel bugs by crashing the system)  But after discussing things
with various members of the department, things have smoothed out and
they will probably offer me a position.

Hackers are not a destructive influence.  We may hog incredible amounts
of disk space, but what else are people going to use it for.  An
underground movement at our university by us "hacker" types have people
using more advanced debugging tools, more advanced programming
languages, mainlinly because we had the initiative to go get the stuff.


Sure, some snotty nosed adolescents will call themselves hackers and 
get thrills out of remving files.  If they didn't have a computer, they
would be saying things like "poo-poo" and giggling for hours.

In the mean time, my goals are to spread information whenever possible
and LEGAL.  My software that I have written bears an agreement that it
may be freely used and distributed for non-profit or educational use.  I
encourage others to do the same.


|                       Mark VandeWettering                             |
|   member of UO-EXODOS - distributed operating system research group   |
|   University of Oregon Computer and Information Sciences Department   |
|               markv@uoregon.edu OR markv@uoregon.uucp                 |