Date: August 09, 2004
Author: Patrick Douglas Crispen
A couple people wondered why, in my last two posts, I referred to
people who break into computers as "crackers" instead of "hackers." I
hope you don't mind the slight detour, but...
On the first day of the Normandy invasion, the Allied troops used a
verbal challenge to determine friend from foe: "Flash ? Thunder ?
Welcome." If you didn't know the appropriate response, or if you
pronounced "welcome" with a v, the 101st Airborne graciously put some
extra holes in you. The verbal challenge was a shibboleth, a test to
prove that you belonged.
The computing world's shibboleth is how you define the word "hacker."
People who know nothing about computers, especially people in the
media, use the word "hacker" a pejorative to describe
A person who uses his skill with computers to try to gain
unauthorized access to computer files or networks
[Source: Oxford English Dictionary]
So, most people think hackers are BAD! That's cool, but COMPLETELY
wrong. INSIDE the computing world, the term hacker is actually highly
complimentary, respectfully used to describe
A person with an enthusiasm for programming or using computers as
an end in itself.
[Source: Oxford English Dictionary]
So, inside the computing world, hackers are GOOD! If you call a guru
a hacker, she'll thank you. You've complimented her.
What do people inside the computer world call people who compromise
the security of a computer without your permission? Well, besides
calling them words and phrases questioning the legitimacy of these
criminals' parentage and implying that these criminals have intimate
relations with their mothers, most computer gurus call these people
"crackers."
Remember, in the computer world
- A "hacker" is a brilliant and respected computer programmer or
technical expert
- A "cracker" is someone who tries to break into your computer or
files without your knowledge and/or permission.
And your number one job as a home computer user is to keep the
crackers out of your computer.
