Thread: Legacy of Hackers

In memory of my heroes who have born & to be born. Also Levy for recognising this legacy in his book. And Richard Stallman ( founder of GNU) the last of true hackers ( according to Levy) & perhaps greatest, also my Idol in computer.

This article had been written by me to generate awareness among people about what is hacker & what is hacking? It had been a defend of a techno-culture.

Hacker refers to those who love computer & belief in certain ideals & ethics.

This started first at MIT in 60's.

Some of the Legacy of Hackers:
1.Freeing computers from certain authority & making it available to all.
2.Some of the best compilers.
3.In internet field also they have freed it.
4.Many Corporates( Microsoft, Apple) were started by hackers who lost their hacking spirit.
An article on Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution by Levy is also there on Wikipedia & this book is also available on net legally. Gutenberg give first two part.

In old school of thought ethics & ideals were:
1.Hands On Imperative: Knowledge of computer should be available to all irrespective of how complex or dangerous it is.

As we can see, this has not been the case. The computer system has been solely in the hands of big businesses and the government. The wonderful device meant to enrich life has become a weapon which dehumanizes people. To the government and large businesses, people are no more than disk space, and the government doesn't use computers to arrange aid for the poor, but to control nuclear death weapons. The average American can only have access to a small microcomputer which is worth only a fraction of what they pay for it. The businesses keep the true state of the art equipment away from the people behind a steel wall of incredibly high prices and bureaucracy. It is because of this state of affairs that hacking was born. ("Doctor Crash", 1986,Rebels with a Cause)

2.Information Wants to Be Free : It is nearly self explanatory. There should be no secret between state & its people.
3.Mistrust Authority: No authority should control computer. That's why never have a hacker born who have love to work for a corporate or anything like that.

In fact, technology represents one of the most promising avenues available for re-capturing our freedoms from those who have stolen them. By its very nature, it favours the bright (who can put it to use) over the dull (who cannot). It favours the adaptable (who are quick to see the merit of the new (over the sluggish, who cling to time-tested ways). And what two better words are there to describe government bureaucracy than "dull" and "sluggish"?[3]

4.No Bogus Criteria: No race , caste , creed , sect , religion, age , or degrees or anything like that.


5.You can create truth and beauty on a computer.
6.Computers can change your life for the better

The future holds such enormous potential. It is vital that we not succumb to our fears and allow our democratic ideals and privacy values to be shattered. In many ways, the world of cyberspace is more real than the real world itself. I say this because it is only within the virtual world that people are really free to be themselves - to speak without fear of reprisal, to be anonymous if they so choose, to participate in a dialogue where one is judged by the merits of their words, not the colour of their skin or the timbre of their voice. Contrast this to our existing "real" world where we often have people sized up before they even utter a word. The Internet has evolved, on its own volition, to become a true bastion of worldwide democracy. It is the obligation of this committee, and of governments throughout the world, not to stand in its way.

But after RMS hackers of these thoughts died & this culture nearly died due to a certain conflict in which hackers were divided between commercial & hacking ethics company. It doesn't mean hackers died. There many like Linus. But they gently decrease in ethics.
After this nearly all new hackers go underground.

Along with above ideals new hackers have these ideals:
1. Respect other & maintain privacy. So it deflate arguments that hackers are system breakers.
2. Don't use computer for harming people or anyone.
3.Always help in checking internet crime
4. Never turn your peers.
5. Never support people who like thing like warez or anything which never contribute in turn.

Then how come they are so infamous?
Most of technology is in hand of Corporates which will never want them to be available to all.
Hackers are just nerds & geeks?
No, they are more visionary , idealistic & have strong ethics than normal people. Also who can take greater risks than than hackers?

Aren't hackers those which harm computers ?
I don't know of any hacker who have done that. These things are done by crackers.

What are crackers?
If hackers are Jedi Knight ,crackers are Sith version of hackers.
Why media malign them?
Since when does it started telling truth? Hackers contribution to computers is more than any one in computer field. Now a days , media blatantly ignoring this have started labeling crackers as hackers. These media are controlled by big corporates not hackers. So tell me whom will they support?
Will you call a Sith the Jedi Knight?
Future of hackers:
I see in future they will have to deviate more from old school of thoughts to save their ethics unless some unpredictable happens. But I see many hackers now a days coming out again. They are acting like consultants or in Free Open Software Development. But it is much to hope. This is too little. They in truth are not hackers as they are losing their ethics. Media had destroyed their images for ever for which I will never ever support them. Media who should have been defender of democracy have been destroyer of a fighter of democracy.
I consider hackers of this generation as Luke Skywalkers : Last of old School & first of new one. They have to travel much to retain their glory of 60's & 70's.
I will continue this thread by pointing out their achievements in 60's , 70's , 80's & in 90's. This was just a basic of what are hackers?



All comments are welcome
A list of some hackers by Steven Levy.After reading this list you will realise who are greatest champions of computer era. Who is right media or hackers?:

good info, I think hackers got a bad rep from the late 90s. before that
hackers means above 'guru' level. even I was bandying around that
word and labeling myself when I was in grad school ;-)

-F

Didn't know all that Luke

Nice post

Nice info luke rep added

Originally Posted by Pri_dm

Nice info luke rep added

great one luke. Very nice.