h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I do have one pedantic complaint to make, though

The term 'computer hackers' tends to annoy people who call themselves hackers, because in fact amongst computery people it basically means a programmer.

Unfortunately it's been so consistantly misused in the media that the general public take it to mean illegal/troublesome computer use...

The real term is 'cracker'... here's the story from http://www.dictionary.com ...

Source: WordNet ® 1.6, © 1997 Princeton University

hacker

(Originally, someone who makes furniture with an axe) 1. A person who enjoys exploring the details of programmable systems and how to stretch their capabilities, as opposed to most users, who prefer to learn only the minimum necessary.

2. One who programs enthusiastically (even obsessively) or who enjoys programming rather than just theorizing about programming.

3. A person capable of appreciating hack value.

4. A person who is good at programming quickly.

5. An expert at a particular program, or one who frequently does work using it or on it; as in "a Unix hacker". (Definitions 1 through 5 are correlated, and people who fit them congregate.)

6. An expert or enthusiast of any kind. One might be an astronomy hacker, for example.

7. One who enjoys the intellectual challenge of creatively overcoming or circumventing limitations.

8. (Deprecated) A malicious meddler who tries to discover sensitive information by poking around. Hence "password hacker", "network hacker". The correct term is cracker.

The term "hacker" also tends to connote membership in the global community defined by the net (see The Network and Internet address). It also implies that the person described is seen to subscribe to some version of the hacker ethic.

It is better to be described as a hacker by others than to describe oneself that way. Hackers consider themselves something of an elite (a meritocracy based on ability), though one to which new members are gladly welcome. Thus while it is gratifying to be called a hacker, false claimants to the title are quickly labelled as "bogus" or a "wannabee".

Not only did I give the wrong source, I missed off the end of the definition... oops

Source: The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © 1993-2001 Denis Howe

9. (University of Maryland, rare) A programmer who does not understand proper programming techniques and principles and doesn't have a Computer Science degree. Someone who just bangs on the keyboard until something happens. For example, "This program is nothing but spaghetti code. It must have been written by a hacker".

Sorry, if the term hacker hurt your feelings... But, I see no trouble with hackers and crossbones. I like crossbones, I like hackers.

BTW Have you read the Hacker's jargon file?

It's here:

http://promo.net/cgi-promo/pg/cat.cgi?&label=ID&ftpsite=ftp://ibiblio.org/pub/docs/books/gutenberg/&alpha=39

Download it. It's great canned truth.

HELL

Hmm... well... alright then

I'll check it out...