Lasse said:
It's a common misconception in some circles that they get to define
the word "hacker". In the strictest sense, it means someone who hacks
wood.
"hacker" has 3 meanings according to dictionary.com <url:
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=hacker />:
hack·er1 Audio pronunciation of "hacker" ( P ) Pronunciation Key (hkr)
n. Informal
1. One who is proficient at using or programming a computer; a computer buff.
2. One who uses programming skills to gain illegal access to a computer network
or file.
3. One who enthusiastically pursues a game or sport: a weekend tennis hacker.
None of which involve "hacking" wood. I might modify the 3rd to read:
3. One who enthusiastically pursues a game, sport or hobby (computer
programming); a weekend tennis hacker, a weekend code hacker
which might be someone different from "one who is proficient at programming".
"hacker" has four meanings according to Merriam-Webster <url:
http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=hacker />:
Main Entry: hack·er
Pronunciation: 'ha-k&r
Function: noun
1 : one that hacks
2 : a person who is inexperienced or unskilled at a particular activity <a
tennis hacker>
3 : an expert at programming and solving problems with a computer
4 : a person who illegally gains access to and sometimes tampers with
information in a computer system
In this definition, "one that hacks" is included, with "hack" defined as:
transitive senses
1 a : to cut or sever with repeated irregular or unskillful blows b : to cut or
shape by or as if by crude or ruthless strokes <hacking out new election
districts> c : ANNOY, VEX -- often used with off
2 : to clear or make by or as if by cutting away vegetation <hacked his way
through the brush>
3 a : to manage successfully <just couldn't hack the new job> b : TOLERATE <I
can't hack all this noise>
intransitive senses
1 a : to make chopping strokes or blows <hacked at the weeds>; also : to make
cuts as if by chopping <hacking away at the work force> b : to play inexpert
golf
2 : to cough in a short dry manner
3 : LOAF -- usually used with around
4 a : to write computer programs for enjoyment b : to gain access to a computer
illegally
So your claim about "hacking wood" being one particular interpretation is
substantiated, but it is by no means the "strictest" sense of the word.
Note that I would argue that "hacker" could also be defined as someone who
produces _bad_ computer programming, given that "one who hacks" is "to cut or
sever with repeated irregular or unskillful blows" why couldn't "one who hacks"
be "to program with repeated unskillful code"?
Other meanings exist, and while a small minority insists that
it cannot mean someone who illegally accesses computers, that is the
common and accepted use of the word for the rest of the world.
<URL:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/indepth/words/hack.html>
<URL:
http://coscorrosa.com/writing/rants/hacker-cracker.php>
The common and accepted use of the word depends on it's context. If I say "he
hacked at the tree" I doubt anyone would suggest he was attempting to tamper
with computer information contained in the tree. I would hope we can all agree
that "hacker" when related to computers means either:
1. an expert (or someone who is proficient) at programming and solving problems
with a computer (a computer buff);
2. a person who (uses programming skills to) illegally gains access to and
sometimes tampers with information in a computer system
The exact meaning depends on the personal point-of-view of the speaker and the
context in which it is used.
However, I agree that to the majority of people in non-computer related fields,
when presented with the word in a computer-related context, would define it as
2.
