“hacker”

“hacker”

The term “hacker” has a dual usage in the computer
industry today. Originally, the term was
defined as:
HACKER noun 1.Aperson who enjoys learning the
details of computer systems and how to stretch
their capabilities—as opposed to most users of
computers, who prefer to learn only the minimum
amount necessary. 2. One who programs enthusiastically
or who enjoys programming rather than
just theorizing about programming.1
This complimentary description was often extended
to the verb form “hacking,” which was used to describe
the rapid crafting of a new program or the
making of changes to existing, usually complicated
software.
As computers became increasingly available at universities,
user communities began to extend beyond
researchers in engineering or computer science to
other individuals who viewed the computer as a curiously
flexible tool. Whether they programmed the
computers to play games, draw pictures, or to help
them with the more mundane aspects of their daily
work, once computers were available for use, there
was never a lack of individuals wanting to use them.