Bob Stephan -- What exactly is a Hacker?

I have heard the word "hacker" used to describe a variety of types of computer users from novices who did not know their way around the key board, to unscrupulous "kids" who waste their talents by breaking into computer systems electronically. An article in Computer Language Magazine said,

"The people who created the computer revolution called themselves hackers. A hacker was someone who reveled in the understanding of computers and who could squeeze the best performance from both hardware and software. To be called a hacker was an honor; it meant your work was respected by your peers.

"Today, the media has perverted the meaning of the term, using it to refer to childish individuals who use their talents to commit illegal acts. And what has become of the original hackers? They are slowly disappearing and being replaced by quotas. schedules, and mediocre night-school educations." (S. R. Ladd, "Productivity and the fall of Hackerdom", Computer Language, Jan. 1988, p. 127)

"Hackers, Heroes of the Computer Revolution" is a 1984 book by Steven Levy. It tells "the story of the whiz kids whose irreverence, idealism, and sheer genius changed the world." Apparently hackerdom started in The Model Railroad Club at MIT during the 1950s and 60s. This first generation of hackers believed that all information should be free and that access to computers should be unlimited. It wasn't until the development of the personal computer, however, that anyone who wanted access to a computer could get it at a reasonable cost.

The second generation of hackers included more familiar names such as Steve Wozniak and Bill Gates. In California in the 1970s the tide was beginning to turn and the open club atmosphere was turning into an industry. The ideals of the original hackers became distorted as businesses took over instead of the club-type groups. Now we have user groups which are a return to some of the original ideals of information-sharing. To the extent that we can do it without violating copyrights, it is the purpose of groups like The Monterey Bay Users Group to pursue the goals of free education in the use of computer hardware and software.

I see a comparison with the story of aviation. The early pioneers like Amelia Earhart and Charles Lindberg were heros. Today thousands of people fly in ways that the early pioneers may not have even dreamed of. Just as today thousands of personal computer users do things that the early hackers could only dream of. The modern day hackers may not be as glamorous, but they still have the interest and curiosity that sets them apart from the average word processor or spread sheet jockey. They devour the more technical sections of publications. Yes, they even read the manuals to learn the finer points of computer use. And, above all, they do it not because they have to, but because they want to.

MBUG-PC (Monterey Bay Users Group--Personal Computer)

MoCoGenSo (Monterey County Genealogy Society)

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