The term hacker is usually used by the press to indicate someone who breaches computer security systems. Using hacker this way is somewhat controversial. At Hack-A-Day we’re proud to embrace the original definition: a computer enthusiast. I got a tip the other day that apparently we’re wrong. Here’s the exchange that followed.
User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1) Gecko/20061010 Firefox/2.0
Name: Word Mavens
URL: literarymagic.com/d/hacker
Subject: On hackingYou are not giving “hacks” you are giving “cracks” – please correct this on your website.
Related URL: http://
While I am excited that the first step you took on your crusade against the misuse of the term hacker was to google the word “hack” and click on the first result: hackaday.com, you have failed to prove yourself literate. Hack-A-Day embraces the true meaning of the words hack and hacker. We publish enthusiast articles about computer and electronic modification using both hardware and software. You’ve implied that we’re crackers, the type of people that would enjoy stealing cable, pirating software, and setting up phishing scams. A simple scan of the front page would prove that WE ARE NOT. In your broad sweeping stroke, you’ve painted us just as the mass media you decry would have. In situations like these, I find it is important to reflect on the words of one of greatest thinkers of our time “You better check yo self before you wreck yo self” – Ice Cube
Eliot Phillips
Lead Blogger
Hack-A-Day
http://hackaday.com
Hi:
What I was referring to was the codes to coke machines, cell phone ‘hacks’, and other hacks are actually cracks because the developers do not want you to use these tricks. A hack can only be done if the software/person/item wants and allows it. Therefore writing a MOD for a game is a crack – even if not malicious – because the developers do not want it. However completely rewriting open source software is a hack – because the developers want it.. Yes I did Google the word “hack” and “hacker”, but I only posted the comment after reading the article. I will remove you from the “terrible sites” list, but you are not Hacker Approved.
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Eitan Adler
COO, and Word Maven of Literary Magic
You’ll have to forgive me for not using all deliberate speed to adopt your extremely narrow definition. I may have responded to your initial request, but that doesn’t mean I give you any more value than the hundreds of “learn me hackz” emails we get every day. Like them, you obviously don’t understand the word. In your latest email, you’ve insulted an entire field of security researchers. Accessing the service menu on a Coke machine does not give you free Coke or money and using a legitimately obtained developer key on a Sidekick is also not a crack. Have fun with your quest, but I doubt most hackers will accept the definition “people who do only what they’re allowed to do”.
Eliot Phillips
Lead Blogger
Hack-A-Day
http://hackaday.com
It is obvious that you have no experience using he word with the correct English definition. I do not mean to offend anyone. Contrary to what is says in my open letter, not all crackers are evil, I just use that definition of it to make a point. There are legitimate reasons to crack – for example info. sec. – my job. However if you define hacker according to to the dictionary removing slang/colloquial usage you would see that I am right. I just went back and reread the Cell phone one, and read other articles, apparently they don’t mind if you do, however the coke machine one is a crack -any which way you look at it. The history of the word “hack” is long and controversial, but one thing remains for certain: doing anything wrong – even for the right reasons – is cracking.
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Eitan Adler
Word Maven, Literary Magic
COO, Literary Magic
I didn’t reply to that email. I’m guessing a response of “you’re an idiot” wouldn’t have gotten this over with any quicker. The Coke machine hack is pressing the buttons in the order 4-2-3-1 to access the debug menu. It’s a demonstration of how security through obscurity doesn’t work and is really… uh… lame. I gave up on this because any person that plans on changing the internet one page at a time isn’t rational.
That guy reminds me of Comic Book Guy from The Simpsons. Except for dictionary definitions…weird.
Dude, I think I ran into this guy on my way to class the other day…
Just a note:
posting the full contents of an email message is technically a copyright violation. Although damages may be little or even none due to the non-commercial nature of this “work” it is still illegal.
Asshat