"1. To chop or cut something by hacking.
2. Informal
a. To write or refine computer programs skillfully
b. To use one's skll in computer programming to gain illegal or unauthorized access to
a file or network." (source)
From what we can see, hacking has some various meanings; however, through the years media has distorted it be used only as 2b. Its use as definition 1 is honestly improbable as there are numerous synonyms for it whereas there are none I can think of for 2, a or b. Originally used as 2a (source) by MIT and turned to 2b by what they call sloppy use of the word and journalistic inaccuracy. The word they were conveying was 'cracker.'
Yet why should this even matter? So what; so long as the meaning is understood. But is it really? It's easy to chunk words like hack because it's repeatedly used to mean one thing. Let's take an example, on an episode of Impractical Jokers (sorry, I don't remember which one), they repeatedly used a makeup word to indicate a bound bookmark. The repeated usage got someone to start using the unofficial word to mean a bound bookmark. So this is an example of assumption of understanding leading to misunderstanding, granted that it is an intentional effect. So why it should matter is that people who are not crackers are lumped together with those who are due to a misunderstanding of the inaccurate use of the word 'hack'.
And really from there it could influence how these people could be stereotyped or treated based on media coverage of crackers.
To determine who is good hacker or who is bad hacker, it all depends on how people apply their skills in life.I totally agree with you that hackers are good and knowledgeable programmers. I think most of the hackers are good and try to use their expertise in fixing network issues and solving problems. People are usually confused between hackers and crackers. Crackers are bad because they try to break copyright and software protection.
ReplyDeleteHello Eric,
ReplyDeleteI believe that hacking is not only limited to breaking into security and gaining unauthorized access for malicious reasons. Hacking can also be used to find bugs or weaknesses in programs and control computers remotely. I think you should have elaborated upon this idea in your post, or explained more about what exactly being a "cracker" entails. I wholeheartedly agree that the word is now being used incorrectly though, as I see people on Facebook posting statuses about how their friends "hacked" their accounts and other silly things like that. I believe that this stems from a lack of information and knowledge on the subject, and as we become more technologically advanced globally new words may replace terms like "cracker" and "hacker."