hacking

Sponsored Content

The Lounge What is on Your Mind? hacking - q about the thread Post 54703 by Neo on Saturday 21st of August 2004 12:36:24 PM

08-21-2004

Administrator

I'm not interested, personally, in debating semantics. On the other hand the question is a good one, I think. The definition of hacking is available on the web:

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=hacking

Where both perspectives are in the definition:

Quote:

hack1 ( P ) Pronunciation Key (hk)
v. hacked, hack�ing, hacks
v. tr.
To cut or chop with repeated and irregular blows: hacked down the saplings.
To break up the surface of (soil).

Informal. To alter (a computer program): hacked her text editor to read HTML.
To gain access to (a computer file or network) illegally or without authorization: hacked the firm's personnel database.

Slang. To cut or mutilate as if by hacking: hacked millions off the budget.
Slang. To cope with successfully; manage: couldn't hack a second job.

v. intr.
To chop or cut something by hacking.
Informal.
To write or refine computer programs skillfully.
To use one's skill in computer programming to gain illegal or unauthorized access to a file or network: hacked into the company's intranet.
To cough roughly or harshly.

n.
A rough, irregular cut made by hacking.
A tool, such as a hoe, used for hacking.
A blow made by hacking.
A rough, dry cough.

It is obviously that our rules pertain to the definition that is related to illegal activities and not related to coughing, cutting trees, or refining computer programs skillfully,

Nor is it related to sports (golf hacking) or any of the other infinate variety of uses that such a widely used term could be constructed.

Furthermore, if we say 'hacking into a computer system or computer network' this could be either good or bad, depending on if the owner of the system or network has provided permission to do so.

In todays world, from my perspective, the term generally refers to illegal activities because of the myriad illegal activites that occur. It is sad, but true, how much the rise of the Internet and computing has given rise to so much cybercrime and cyberfraud.

When I describe people who 'skillfully refine computer programs', I tend to call them 'computer experts' or a term that I consider more mainstream in the year 2004. For example, I would not put on my resume that I am 'a hacker'..... I might put on my resume that I have years of experience and subject matter expertise in programming and 6 years of college education related to computer engineering and (blah blah).... I personally think that is more clear and more professional description.

Just my opinion.......

(good question, btw)

Neo

View Public Profile for Neo

Visit Neo's homepage!

Find all posts by Neo

4 More Discussions You Might Find Interesting

1. UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

I asked my firend about hacking so he told me to come here. I want to know how to get Volumes I, II and III. Does anyone know how to help me and help me become a good hacker? This is what i came here to do!!!!!!

2. Programming

How to cancel a thread safely from the initial thread?

how about asynchronous canceling? or with signal? if with signal whether it effects the process? my english so badly :( :(

3. Programming

Parent Thread Of Child Thread

Parent Thread Of Child Thread Suppose a process creates some threads say threadC and threadD. Later on each of these threads create new child threads say threadC1, threadC2, threadC3 etc. So a tree of threads will get created. Is there any way to find out the parent thread of one such...

4. Forum Support Area for Unregistered Users & Account Problems

Not able to post thread/reply to thread

Dear Moderator I am not able to post any new thread or post reply to mine old thread. Kindly help as i am stuck on one problem and needed suggestion. Regards Jaydeep

LEARN ABOUT OPENSOLARIS

i286

machid(1)							   User Commands							 machid(1)

NAME

       machid, sun, iAPX286, i286, i386, i486, i860, pdp11, sparc, u3b, u3b2, u3b5, u3b15, vax, u370 - get processor type truth value

SYNOPSIS

       sun

       iAPX286

       i386

       pdp11

       sparc

       u3b

       u3b2

       u3b5

       u3b15

       vax

       u370

DESCRIPTION

       The following commands will return a true value (exit code of 0) if you are using an instruction set that the command name indicates.

       sun	  True if you are on a Sun system.

       iAPX286	  True if you are on a computer using an iAPX286 processor.

       i386	  True if you are on a computer using an iAPX386 processor.

       pdp11	   True if you are on a PDP-11/45tm or PDP-11/70tm.

       sparc	  True if you are on a computer using a SPARC-family processor.

       u3b	  True if you are on a 3B20 computer.

       u3b2	  True if you are on a 3B2 computer.

       u3b5	  True if you are on a 3B5 computer.

       u3b15	  True if you are on a 3B15 computer.

       vax	  True if you are on a VAX-11/750tm or VAX-11/780tm.

       u370	  True if you are on an IBM(R) System/370tm computer.

       The  commands  that  do	not  apply will return a false (non-zero) value. These commands are often used within makefiles (see make(1S)) and
       shell scripts (see sh(1)) to increase portability.

ATTRIBUTES

       See attributes(5) for descriptions of the following attributes:

       +-----------------------------+-----------------------------+
       |      ATTRIBUTE TYPE	     |	    ATTRIBUTE VALUE	   |
       +-----------------------------+-----------------------------+
       |Availability		     |SUNWcsu			   |
       +-----------------------------+-----------------------------+

SEE ALSO

       make(1S), sh(1), test(1), true(1), uname(1), attributes(5)

NOTES

       The machid family of commands is obsolete. Use uname -p and uname -m instead.

SunOS 5.11							    5 Jul 1990								 machid(1)

4 More Discussions You Might Find Interesting

1. UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

Hacking

Discussion started by: nfsu2