[comp.os.vms] hacker?

MANAGER@SMITH.BITNET (Mary Malmros) (07/23/87)

I'm sorry to add to this discussion, but I can't let this one go by.

Ralph Becker-Szendy writes:
>...a hacker is someone who
>- not only thinks that computers make very practical tools,
>- but the also are great fun to play with,
>- even to play with the ones you are not supposed to use (which i
>  don't consider a crime as long as you don't harm anyone),

I do consider it a crime.  It's called "theft of service" and it's just as
much a crime as any other kind of theft.  If you walk into my house while I'm
away and sit down on my sofa, you may not be doing any "harm" but you are still
committing a crime.  "Harm" is not the deciding factor here--it's not yours, so
you have no right to use it.

For what it's worth, I use the media definition of hacker because not everybody
out there is a techie, and some of them are even worth speaking to :)
Media corruption of technical terms is a fact of life, and in order to be
understood by everyone else, you have to speak their language.  As long as I
know the difference, that's good enough for me.  Another thing: two people can
agree completely on the definition of the term "hacker" (I suspect my definiton
is rather close to Ralph's) and disagree on whether that's good or bad.  I don't
admire hackers, if for no other reason than I think they work (actively or
passively) to keep technology inaccessible.

Happy days,

Mary Malmros
Smith College