When you are going to get all philosophical, why not start off with some definitions rather than waffle later on. Hacker (-a, -um): "breaks into computer syste

When you are going to get all philosophical, why not start off with some definitions rather than waffle later on. Hacker (-a, -um): "breaks into computer systems", cf cracker. Painter (-lol, -rofl): "Paints walls to order with a roller", cf tosher. I am of course being somewhat silly with my definitions but both are valid and unlikely to be what the authors of the article and my parent comment have in mind. ... or are they? When this sentence hoves into view: "You can safely replace "painters" in this response with "poets", "composers", "pastry chefs" or "auto mechanics" with no loss of meaning or insight." ... the author's mind has clearly wandered a bit off course. An auto mechanic can very well be described as a "creative" too. I'm well aware that mechanics perform some pretty fancy feats involving imagination and creative use of tools and materials every day. I think that what this sort of essay fundamentally gets wrong is starting off with a lack of definitions and wooly notions of trade/profession/occupation/interests. There may be some truths in certain passages when considered on their own but frankly it starts off without basic foundations. Any civil or structural engineer will happily tell you what happens to an edifice without sufficient foundations. The definitions of painter and hacker that are presented later are quite offensive. "Painters apply colored goo to cloth using animal hairs tied to a stick." - oh dear! A final flourish and sign off from the article: "But you, sir, are no painter." ... to which I can only respond: "get a grip matey". I get the thesis as presented but the close mindedness exhibited reminds me of my grandad's gin traps - inhumane and demonstrating a lack of imagination of how to deal with a problem. Minimal signs of imagination and creativity noted. What on earth is wrong with: "What hackers and painters have in common is that they're both makers."? (quote from "Hackers and Painters") At least we are all thinking and engaging and for me that's the important thing.