| "Hackers" vs. "Crackers" (was: Re: Check if $_GET contains something other than what's allowed) [message #183857 is a reply to message #183825] |
Fri, 22 November 2013 16:36   |
Arno Welzel
Messages: 317
Registered: October 2011
Karma:
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Jerry Stuckle, 2013-11-21 23:16:
> On 11/21/2013 4:48 PM, Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn wrote:
>> Jason C wrote:
>>
>>> I have a script that's constantly under attack by hackers submitting odd
>>
>> s/hackers/crackers/
>>
>> Rule of thumb: Hackers build, crackers (attempt to) destroy.
>>
>
> No, hackers is the correct term. You really should learn to understand
> English before correcting a native speaker of it.
<http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/hacker?q=hacker>
<http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/hacker?q=cracker>
Seems the official meaning of both words is the same.
And <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hacker> shows, there is much more
about this topic than a simple "hackers are people attacking computer
systems".
Anyway - "hacker" originally just referred to computer enthusiasts
"hacking" on their keyboards. Also see "Hackers: Heroes of the Computer
Revolution" by Steven Levy, ISBN 0-385-19195-2.
Some hackers *also* used their skills to gain access to systems with
poor or no special protection at all and some also sold the acquired
data - but this does not mean that a "hacker" is always a bad guy.
Later "hacking" also became the synonym for using technology in new ways
- a "hack" is just another creative use for existing technology or to
deal with technical limitations.
On the opposite - "cracking" originally referred to "crack" copy
protections in computer games. In the 1980ies there where a number of
popular "Cracker Groups", for example:
<http://csdb.dk/search/advancedresult.php?form[category]=groups&group_type[]=2>
Later "cracker" was also used as a synonym for "bad" hackers with
criminal intents. But today many people just say "hacker" when they
actually mean "black hat" or "script kiddie".
--
Arno Welzel
http://arnowelzel.de
http://de-rec-fahrrad.de
|
|
|
|
Calendar
Search
Help
Members
Register
Login
Home
]