3 ms·
Those aren't the only definitions of hacking. "Breaking into computer systems" is also a definition of hacking, and it has been for decades. That isn't because
by seoaeu 5y ago
Those aren't the only definitions of hacking. "Breaking into computer systems" is also a definition of hacking, and it has been for decades. That isn't because of some deliberate slight against other sorts of hackers, but rather because initially there wasn't a distinction the different kinds of hackers: they were all members of the same community. The fact that the computer criminal element that forked off the wider hacker community ended up getting the most attention is certainly unfortunate, but I don't see why it should be interpreted as an attack against the others.
- kragen 5y agoYes, it's true that people have used the word in a derogatory sense for decades. It should be interpreted as an attack against us because in fact it hurts us, whatever the intent: by repurposing our terms of praise into a term representing people's darkest nightmares about those who know things they don't, they encourage people to confuse us with those nightmares. How often do you think kids get punished in school for browsing this very website?