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And They Were Hackers: A study of the hacker subculture

“What is not fully understood is not possessed.” -- Goethe

“Ignorance is the curse of God; knowledge is the wing wherewith we fly to heaven.”
-- Shakespeare

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The term “hacker” has taken on varying meanings over the years. Originally deemed a compliment to the hacker, it has been taken and twisted by the media to mean someone intending to cause chaos in the computing world and, through computers, to society in general. Yet there are still those today who retain the original value of the word, using it to convey integrity, honor, and pride. Is this “hacker ideal” justified? How many types of hackers are there? Finally, why do they continue in their pursuit, whatever that pursuit might be? Throughout this work, I will continually change gears, discussing the good hackers, bad hackers and, if possible, those in between. This will serve to get a better understanding of who hackers are, what they do, and why.

I. Definition / What They Do

T...

Posted by: Jason Pinsky

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