Hacker Culture

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Hacker Culture
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What is a hacker?

• A hacker is a person who
• enjoys exploring the details of programmable
  systems
• programs enthusiastically
• Is an expert on a particular program
• enjoys the intellectual challenge of creatively
  overcoming limitations
• Hackers got their name from people who hack at
  code to get the computer to do what they want it
  too

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What is not a hacker?

• There is a common misconception that hackers are
  people who like to discover sensitive information
  by poking around
• These people are called (CRiminal hACKER) or
  crackers

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History of Hacker Culture

• Formed in 1961 at MIT by students of Tech Model
  Railroad Company.
• Tradition of elaborate pranks called hacks,
  became first to call themselves hackers.
• In 1969 MIT AI Lab was connected with various
  others via ARPANET.
• Ideas, slang, software, and jokes began to flow
  between them, and formed the beginnings of hacker
  culture.

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History (cont.)

• Example of culture flowing In 1973 Jargon file
  created.
• It contained a list of slang terms accumulated
  from all the different universities.
• Early hackers eventually took over positions
  running ARPANET because no one else really wanted
  the job.
• In the early 1980s hacker culture started
  becoming more conscious, more cohesive, and
  better organized.

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History (cont.)

• GNU project started in early 1980s by Richard M.
  Stallman.
• In 1985 Stallman published the GNU Manifesto.
• Popularized the term free software.
• Stallman also wrote the General Public License
  (GPL).
• Free software became a focus of great
  controversy.
• Linus Torvalds created Linux in 1991, an example
  of this free software.

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Hacker Culture Today

• Big misconception that hackers are bad
• More programs being created by hackers
• Very little system crackers
• More strict rules on hacking
• The hacker community is bigger and more and more
  people of all ages and genders are joining