hacker

person, jargon (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 hackerethic.

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".

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".

[Jargon File]

(1996-08-26)