Computer Hacks, Hacking, and Hackers

Webster's College Dictionary Definitions

hack⁽¹⁾ (v): 1. to cut, notch, slice, chop, or sever with irregular, often heavy blows (often fol. by up or down): to hack down trees 2. to clear (a road, path, etc.) by cutting away vines, trees, or other growth.
hack⁽²⁾ (n): 1. a person, esp. a professional, who surrenders individual independence, integrity, belief, etc., in return for money or other reward; a political hack. 3. a person who produces banal or mediocre work or who works at a dull or routine task.
hacker (n): 1. a person or thing that hacks. 2. a person who engages in an activity without talent or skill. 3.Slang a. a computer enthusiast who is especially proficient in programming. b. a computer user who attempts to gain unauthorized access to proprietary computer systems.

Towards a true understanding of the term `hack'

Which one of the above definitions should be used to best explain the concept of hacking? None of them! Definitions are tricky things, almost as tricky as the words they attempt to describe; this can be best illustrated in slang and buzz words. Jargon is invented and used in small, usually specialized, groups. Then, eventually, it is expanded and used by people with slightly less expertise. All jargon suffers from the possibility of the media bastardizing it into a buzz word; however, the occurrence of this bastardization is much more frequent in the computer & information sciences and the computer industry. This is quite possibly due to the lack of understanding which people have who are not in these "circles". At any rate, if a word means many very different things to different people, a common, agreed upon, definition may be impossible.

I believe in an idea of hacking which most closely relates to its origins. The following are, in decreasing order, traits for a hack:

It must be clever.
It must produce more good than bad, and it must not be malicious.
It should be unexpected, or out of the ordinary.
It should also be aesthetic to the creator(s) and their cronies.
It need not pertain to computers.

These are usually straight forward. Obviously, that which is clever to a novice is usually simple and commonplace to an expert; however, a group can, with their conventional wisdom, decide on the cleverness of a would be hack for areas which fall under their domain of expertise. The debate between the good and bad nature, as well as intent, of a hack may let in some unethical acts, and this idea will be expounded upon in the next section. Hacks should be inventive; using someone else's hack is not a hack. A hack should look good to the author(s) and their friends, and, if it does not, then a term like kludge would better apply. And, finally, there is no reason that a hack must pertain to computers; MIT is famous for both computer related and unrelated hacks. This may not be the perfect definition of the term in question, but it is what I think of when I use it. I hope this is how you think of a hack when you use the term in the future.

The ethics of computers and hacking

The ethics of computers, like the ethics of societies, are not impartial, constant, and no particular set of ethics can be proven correct. Great philosophers --such as Aristotle, Mill, and Kant-- spent years creating thier own, different, and sometimes incompatible theories of ethics. Furthermore, it cannot even be proven which set of beliefs is better. The debate on ethics is too large for this essay; however, the idea that different people have different ethical beliefs and none of them can be proven to be better than another is enough here.

Anything involving theft, destruction, etc. is not a hack because it is malicious. What if I just break into someones computer to read their email? That seems not to be malicious, but it is by most accounts ethically wrong. Although, what if I work for the Government and the email I read is that of a known drug dealer? This case is not so easy; nevertheless, many people --including myself-- would say that it is unethical. Now suppose that my friend is running a program which will destroy his computer, and I can save the computer by breaking in and stopping the program. Now, due to the intent of the actions, the ethical nature of this action is very unclear. However, my means of entry may still be a hack, even though the ethicality of the act is not easily determined. Or, the, possibly unethical, means by which I gain the information to break into his computer could be the hack.

Think about what you say

Please, I implore you not to accept my views on the above concepts. Unless, of course you agree with them. It is the blind usage of terms which pervades language and causes the problems which prompted me to write this essay. The solution is unclear, but so is the problem. So, in the future, think before you use jargon and buzz words which you do not fully understand. If you call me a hacker, I will be flattered, but in all modesty I will have to decline the title; I am better with kludges than I am at the art of the hack.

Last modified: 19 November 01997: William Totten (totten@pobox.com)