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Also, from http://daniel.haxx.se/blog/about/ http://daniel.haxx.se/blog/about/ >I’m Daniel Stenberg, a network hacker working for Mozilla. Sigh. Why does ever

by elthran 11y ago

Also, from http://daniel.haxx.se/blog/about/ http://daniel.haxx.se/blog/about/ >I’m Daniel Stenberg, a network hacker working for Mozilla. Sigh. Why does everyone have to be a hacking rockstar ninja? What's wrong with not using a word that has negative connotations to the rest of the world, and just calling yourself a developer/engineer?

napworth 11y ago
You realise this is the man that created CURL, right? If anyone is allowed to call himself a hacker, it's Daniel.
- manigandham 11y ago
  Everyone is "allowed" to call themselves whatever they want. I would argue there are practical rules to follow depending on your audience. In this case it seems fine but obviously can cause issues with the modern interpretation of what hacker means.
unethical_ban 11y ago
What's wrong with using whatever words you want on your personal site to describe yourself and the work you do? Who cares that some ignoramus directs her anger at him? Do you also think "hackers" or software devs shouldn't have long hair or listen to rock music?
mahouse 11y ago
Even though I agree completely with you, you came to Hacker News to say that
TazeTSchnitzel 11y ago
"hacker" was positive before it was negative, it's fine to hang onto it, because at worst you're only hurting yourselves (hackers). (and it's not even a pejorative, anyway)
mwcampbell 11y ago
Why all the downvotes for this comment? I think the point is reasonable. It's fine for us to use the word "hacker" in the non-criminal sense among ourselves (for example, the title of this site), but not where the general public is likely to see it and misunderstand it.
- mhurron 11y ago
  > but not where the general public is likely to see it and misunderstand it. So nowhere. It's on the public internet which is where 'the general public' is likely to see it so suggesting that you don't use some phrase where 'the public' can't see it in practically means you can't use it anywhere. I know the last thing I want to do is self censor myself everywhere because someone somewhere might get offended.
  - pconner 11y ago
    It's not "self-censorship," it's understanding that the generally-accepted definition of a word is different from it's obscure jargon meaning. The word "hacker" has meant "someone who maliciously breaks into computer systems" since at least the 1980's (thirty years ago, before some HN readers were even born). Languages are fluid.
    - mhurron 11y ago
      Yes languages are fluid but words also have various meanings. If we have to prevent ourselves from using some word because others may find it offensive, that is self-censoring. OP tried to get around that by trying to say that when you could be heard by 'them' you shouldn't use those words, but this is the public internet. You are always communicating in the presence of those that will be offended.
      - pconner 11y ago
        This isn't a matter of anyone being "offended," though. No one finds the word "hacker" offensive, they just might have a completely different definition of it depending on what their experiences are. You might as well use a word that's unambiguous. Likewise, editing a paper to remove grammatical errors is also not "self-censorship." It's improving the clarity of your message.

by elthran 11y ago

napworth 11y ago

You realise this is the man that created CURL, right? If anyone is allowed to call himself a hacker, it's Daniel.

manigandham 11y ago
Everyone is "allowed" to call themselves whatever they want. I would argue there are practical rules to follow depending on your audience. In this case it seems fine but obviously can cause issues with the modern interpretation of what hacker means.

unethical_ban 11y ago

What's wrong with using whatever words you want on your personal site to describe yourself and the work you do? Who cares that some ignoramus directs her anger at him? Do you also think "hackers" or software devs shouldn't have long hair or listen to rock music?

mahouse 11y ago

Even though I agree completely with you, you came to Hacker News to say that

TazeTSchnitzel 11y ago

"hacker" was positive before it was negative, it's fine to hang onto it, because at worst you're only hurting yourselves (hackers). (and it's not even a pejorative, anyway)

mwcampbell 11y ago

Why all the downvotes for this comment? I think the point is reasonable. It's fine for us to use the word "hacker" in the non-criminal sense among ourselves (for example, the title of this site), but not where the general public is likely to see it and misunderstand it.

mhurron 11y ago
> but not where the general public is likely to see it and misunderstand it. So nowhere. It's on the public internet which is where 'the general public' is likely to see it so suggesting that you don't use some phrase where 'the public' can't see it in practically means you can't use it anywhere. I know the last thing I want to do is self censor myself everywhere because someone somewhere might get offended.
- pconner 11y ago
  It's not "self-censorship," it's understanding that the generally-accepted definition of a word is different from it's obscure jargon meaning. The word "hacker" has meant "someone who maliciously breaks into computer systems" since at least the 1980's (thirty years ago, before some HN readers were even born). Languages are fluid.
  - mhurron 11y ago
    Yes languages are fluid but words also have various meanings. If we have to prevent ourselves from using some word because others may find it offensive, that is self-censoring. OP tried to get around that by trying to say that when you could be heard by 'them' you shouldn't use those words, but this is the public internet. You are always communicating in the presence of those that will be offended.
    - pconner 11y ago
      This isn't a matter of anyone being "offended," though. No one finds the word "hacker" offensive, they just might have a completely different definition of it depending on what their experiences are. You might as well use a word that's unambiguous. Likewise, editing a paper to remove grammatical errors is also not "self-censorship." It's improving the clarity of your message.