Conference noted::hackers_v1

Nah, it seems germane to this file.

I like the multi-page definition of hacker in Joseph Weizenbaum's book
"Computer Power and Human Reason".  It describes the person who is out
to write the best compiler (O/S, runtime system, game, ...) ever invented,
has a cot and coffee maker next to the terminal because he sleeps 4 hours
between 48 hour stretches, etc.  I seem to remember that part of the
description was that the hacker often had no theoretical grounding in
what was being written, and so was constantly fixing flat tires as the
wheel was reinvented.  It has been a while since I read this, but it is
a good description, perhaps 4-5 pages.
				/AHM

 When you stop to think about the two previous definitions, then Thomas
Edison was the first hacker -- and he didn't have a computer, either.

In my opinion the word hack has (and always will have) a negative
connotation. My impression of the word hack is something like - to
swing wildly at something. I looked up the word in the dictionary and
sure enough, the transitive verb has the primary meaning of "to cut
with repeated irregular or unskillful blows". This definition clearly
has nothing to do with computers, but I think we can see how the
usage of the word evolved, that is, the hacker hacked at his program
until it worked. However, there are individuals that can create a
program to do whatever, and the program is neither a hack nor a
kludge. Quite frequently the program will work the first time and
subsequent modifications only clean up the user interface or improve
exception handling, etc. I would much rather be identified with this
later group than be known as a hacker, regardless of what the "in"
community might think of hackers. Note that the definition of hacker
does not imply any malicious behavior as is implied by the media's
use of the word. I don't think we have an appropriate computer term
to describe the activities of people that generally try "to beat the
system" and that is where the problem is. Therefore, I say let the
media have the word hacker - I'll continue to call myself a
programmer.

	Mike

 I wrote a program once that worked on the first try.  I couldn't
get it to break, even after repeated attempts to make it fail, and
I couldn't find any obvious bugs in the code.  However, I am resting
comfortably, and my Psyciatrist says that I will be well enough to
resume hacking in a month or so...

I think that a hacker is one who creates a hack.  A hack is an ugly
but effective means to a worthy end.  Therefore, I consider "hacker"
to be a pejorative term.  However, I do not consider a hacker to be
malicious, as the current media use of the term indicates.  A hacker
is simply someone who enjoys programming at a low level, likes to
fiddle with bits for example, who spends time programming for fun.
I agree with the earlier note that Weizenbaum's description is a
good one.  I think he referred to such people as "compulsive programmers",
of whom I've known several.  Most such people are really interested
in the act of programming, not in creating solutions to problems. 
That is a legitimate activity, but as Robert Heinlein says, do it
in private and wash your hands afterwards.

- ced

I believe that the definition for 'HACK' presented in response 5 was 
published in '_The_Hacker's_Dictionary_' (Guy L. Steele, 1983, Harper
and Row).

Tom p

I'm at home with 101.2 degree fever and a strep thoat reading
this notes file.  After I'm done with this I'll be "hacking" away
at some C code.  Do I fit the description?

Re: .10

	Well, is it after midnight?

			-\- Victor -/-

Re .8:

The primary authors of the glossary on hacking distributed with EMACS
eventually published the book.

Re .10:

C is a hack, I don't see why you can't say you are hacking in it.  One
[good?] hack deserves another.
				/AHM