[net.general] hackers etc.

cbenson@reed.UUCP (Jason E. Elliott) (01/01/85)

About a month ago I posted a question asking what people in netland think
'hackers' and 'real programmers' are.  I have received ten good responses
and a couple of rather irritating responses.  I am, therefore, asking
once again what you all think makes a 'hacker' and what makes a 'real
programmer'.

What qualities do y'all see as distinguishing a 'hacker' from a 'real
programmer'.  (A 'real programmer' does not have to mean someone who makes
a living programming.  One papers stated that a 'real programmer' does
things like write pattern matching programs that enable space probes to
find new moons around planets like Jupiter.)

What kinds of things do 'hackers' do with their time and computers?
What kinds of computers do 'hackers' own?  What is the probability that
a 'hacker' will ever be able to make a living in the world of professional
programmers?

In the same vein:  What kind of things, computers, etc. do 'real
programmers' do and use or own?  How much money do they make, and is it
always necessary that they do mundane tasks in order to earn this money?

I would really appreciate more response to these (as well as the previous)
questions.  Please respond by mail.  When I have enough data I will post
a report summarizing the responses.

Thanks in advance...

			Jason E. Elliott