On Wed, 4 Aug 1999, Fred Cisin (XenoSoft) wrote:
> vandals, etc. getting involved with computers. The miscreants that they
> encountered called THEMSELVES "hackers", simply as a boastful
Most crackers are wannabee hackers and give themselves undeserved
honors. This is covered a few times in ESR's jargon file aka _The
New Hacker's Dictionary_.
> self-appellation. The news people were simply too dumb to understand, or
> maybe assumed that the only possible outlet of genious would be criminal.
News people are normally stupid. Note their continuing support for
victim disarmament laws that they call "gun control".
> People like Levy in his "Hackers" book tried to explain, but by 1984 it
> was too late.
Once a "news person" swallows a bullshit term, the whole herd grabs it
and it pollutes the language for (at least) decades.
> Note: the mafia call themselves "businessmen". Do we now associate
> the word "businessmen" with criminal behavior?
Well, ask your nearest demopublican (or republicrat) congressthing.
--
Ward Griffiths
"the timid die just like the daring; and if you don't take the plunge then
you'll just take the fall" Michael Longcor
Received on Thu Aug 05 1999 - 04:05:30 BST