A ninja guru rockstar wizard hacker has turned you into a whale. Is this awesome? (Y/N?)<br><br>Y<br><br>Sorry, I was going to make a collage photo of a ninja guru rockstar wizard hacker, but turns out this is a text adventure.<br>
<br>I approve of this co-option! By the way, I'm now co-opting the word hacker to refer to people who make puns and use words that probably don't exist "technically", like "co-option". Is that cool with you guys? It's like hacking language, right? Right? Guys ... I'm still cool, right? Eh? [Joking: I was never cool.]<br>
<br>And then I'm going to co-opt THAT definition of hacker to refer to a place which has particular good horses for rent to see if the language will eventually re-evolve into referring to computer experts as hackneys, through a trail of taxis and worn-out art. That would make me smile, like this. :D<br>
<br><a href="http://everything2.com/user/mcd/writeups/hacker?displaytype=printable">http://everything2.com/user/mcd/writeups/hacker?displaytype=printable</a><br><br>-Snail<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Wed, Mar 16, 2011 at 6:50 PM, Will Sargent <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:will.sargent@gmail.com">will.sargent@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">Dear all,<br><br>I am hearby co-opting the words "ninja" and "rockstar" to refer to moderately competent computer programmers. <br>
<br>I'm not sure exactly what a ninja guru rockstar wizard hacker would look like, but I bet it's impressive.<br><font color="#888888">
<br>Will.</font><div><div></div><div class="h5"><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Wed, Mar 16, 2011 at 4:51 PM, Mike Williams <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:merwanwilliams@gmail.com" target="_blank">merwanwilliams@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">
What about Gurus and Wizards?<div><div><a href="http://www-users.cs.york.ac.uk/susan/joke/hacker.htm" target="_blank">http://www-users.cs.york.ac.uk/susan/joke/hacker.htm</a><div><div></div><div><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">
On Wed, Mar 16, 2011 at 4:43 PM, jim <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:jim@well.com" target="_blank">jim@well.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;"><br>
<br>
in my experience, the earliest use of "hacker" among<br>
computer types was for coding (e.g. hackers' conference<br>
of 1984 or 5).<br>
soon after, with growing awareness of the internet,<br>
people not directly in the coding community began to use<br>
"hacker" with the nefarious meaning you've described.<br>
a fairly quick response from the coder set was to<br>
insist that "cracker" had the nefarious meaning and<br>
"hacker" was the code artist, possibly something of an<br>
untutored renegade, but most importantly enthusiastic,<br>
and not necessarily malevolent.<br>
<div><div></div><div><br>
<br>
<br>
On Wed, 2011-03-16 at 12:17 -0700, erik swedberg wrote:<br>
><br>
><br>
> your use of the word hacker to describe people who do stuff with<br>
> electronics and software is itself a co-opting of the term that used<br>
> to have to do with breaking into systems (for fun, learning, or<br>
> malice) and phreaking - the connotation includes a healthy dose of<br>
> subversion - think war games, or guys in trench coats meeting in<br>
> shopping mall food courts with well-worn vinge and brunner paperbacks<br>
> in their pockets.<br>
><br>
><br>
> it sometimes befuddles me that lots of people seem to have forgotten<br>
> the history. think of all the awesome scientists and engineers who<br>
> worked on electronics and software from the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and<br>
> 90s - sweet dudes with beards (and all these folks:<br>
> <a href="http://www.luckham.org/LHL.Bell%20Labs%20Days.html" target="_blank">http://www.luckham.org/LHL.Bell%20Labs%20Days.html</a>): bell labs, the<br>
> guys who wrote unix and its variants, the programmers for the atari<br>
> 2600 games, woz, ham radio operators, the dudes who invented the<br>
> transistor (<a href="http://www.corp.att.com/history/milestone_1947b.html" target="_blank">http://www.corp.att.com/history/milestone_1947b.html</a>), the<br>
> guys who made the first video games using oscilloscopes - none of<br>
> these folks were then called hackers, whereas now they would all<br>
> qualify under our current definition.<br>
><br>
><br>
> and the word is changing again, to be more inclusive of those not<br>
> engaged in the dark arts. for the modern people who want a badge to be<br>
> proud of their hard-earned electronics and computer skills, i propose<br>
> a new word: hobbyist.<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
> -erik<br>
><br>
><br>
> ______________________________________________________________________<br>
> From: Evan Bangham <<a href="mailto:ebangham@gmail.com" target="_blank">ebangham@gmail.com</a>><br>
> To: rachel lyra hospodar <<a href="mailto:rachel@mediumreality.com" target="_blank">rachel@mediumreality.com</a>><br>
> Cc: <a href="mailto:noisebridge-discuss@lists.noisebridge.net" target="_blank">noisebridge-discuss@lists.noisebridge.net</a><br>
> Sent: Wed, March 16, 2011 1:53:48 AM<br>
> Subject: Re: [Noisebridge-discuss] [drama] My Hair Is On Fire -<br>
> Current events that are shaping your rights as we speak<br>
><br>
> I'm glad you asked. I'm afraid that I've done some thinking and I'm<br>
> going to be back peddling from some of my previous statements.<br>
><br>
> Allow me to posit, if I may, that Noisebridge is a community that is<br>
> made up of both makers and hackers.<br>
><br>
> Lets define hacking using these words using some of the verbiage we've<br>
> previously laid out in the thread.<br>
><br>
> Hacking:<br>
> "To attempt to solve a problem by artfully applying skills and tools<br>
> in or closely related to the areas of computer programing or circuit<br>
> design without reference to a plan or instructions." I don't think<br>
> many would argue that it was people in software that started using the<br>
> word in relation to writing software before it started to<br>
> linguistically crawl its way into other circles.<br>
><br>
> Maker:<br>
> If you use this same definition as hacker and remove the reference to<br>
> computer programming and circuits you have the word 'maker'. Makers a<br>
> la Make magazine, make stuff using tools in a skillful manor without<br>
> reference to instructions much as hackers do. The only difference is<br>
> that making is not using code or circuits and is thus not considered<br>
> hacking. Making can involve anything from sewing and crafts to<br>
> designing and building bicycles.<br>
><br>
> By my definition of the words hacking and making, the building of<br>
> robots for instance, is not hacking, but is in fact, a combination of<br>
> making and hacking. Those that build robots could be either makers or<br>
> hackers, or both. Building various components of a robot could, if<br>
> involving software and electronics be considered hacking. For example,<br>
> if I'm writing a quick and dirty piece of software to enable the robot<br>
> to track some object using a camera, I'm hacking. If I'm building a<br>
> robot arm using a metal shop, I'm no longer hacking, I'm making.<br>
><br>
> In consideration of our robot example, one could come to the<br>
> conclusion that it's natural for the definition of hacking to be<br>
> intertwined with things that have historically, not been considered<br>
> hacking. Clearly this fact does not suddenly make the words synonymous<br>
> just because the skills are used in concert with each other. Any<br>
> broadening of the definition of hacking to suddenly include all forms<br>
> of making are simply an appeal to some sort of linguistic relativism.<br>
><br>
> My motives for starting this discussion is that we hackers have spent<br>
> time and sacrifice learning our craft. All those nights in front of<br>
> the keyboard, staring at the glowing screen or heads buried in books,<br>
> learning gate logic and object oriented design patterns take their<br>
> toll on the body and spirit. From society at large we are in some<br>
> cases scorned and alienated. Given these sacrifices, we wear the our<br>
> badge of hacker with pride, that is pride in our ability to make (or<br>
> break) cool shit with electronics and software as our reward.<br>
><br>
> Now we have a situation where non hacker activists see that we apply<br>
> our specially honed skills in technology evermore in the capacity to<br>
> fight against government and corporation's attacks on our freedoms.<br>
> They see that because we are outcasts that we are beholden to no one<br>
> but our selves and are own free ideas. This leads the non hacker<br>
> activists to think "hey man, that's hip, thats cool, these people<br>
> fight the power in such a creative and awesome way!" "I want in on<br>
> that piece of pie and become an individualist hacker like those other<br>
> guys!" so they appropriate our word and our institutions for their own<br>
> means to help cheerlead and message for their own non hacking related<br>
> ideas and groups.<br>
><br>
> Hackers and makers love political involvement and we have groups like<br>
> the EFF doing our bidding, so it makes sense to have groups inside<br>
> noisebridge that specialize in politicking(for lack of a better<br>
> word). Its when people start calling the act civic engagement hacking<br>
> that a line has been crossed. Its at this point that the word has been<br>
> misappropriated and the effect of this miss appropriation of the word<br>
> hacker, is to minimize the importance of the skills that we sacrificed<br>
> our time and sanity for.<br>
><br>
> This swindling of our brand disempowers us and our community. In my<br>
> conversation with various hackers in noisebridge (Cobalt being one of<br>
> them) I've been told that noisebridge's failure to dedicate itself to<br>
> hackers and that its all inclusiveness, is limiting their involvement<br>
> at noisebridge. I'm not in complete agreement with that view, but when<br>
> I'm hearing hackers aren't willing to come to noisebridge to start<br>
> cool projects because people with the necessary skills to help them do<br>
> so aren't available at noisebridge, partially due to non hackers and<br>
> non makers infringing upon the space, making hackers feel unwelcome.<br>
> This disappoints me greatly.<br>
><br>
> Noisebridge is a community of makers and hackers, but they are not one<br>
> and the same. Noisebridge embraces makers and hackers equally and<br>
> rightfully so because both are a means to making cool shit that<br>
> requires a wide range of skills to produce. Makers can directly help<br>
> hackers and vice versa. Hackers need food to survive just like anyone<br>
> else, lets have some cooking classes, both hackers and makers benefit,<br>
> great! Hackers like beer, let's make some beer, awesome! Makers like<br>
> making stuff out of wood and metal, hackers like coding and circuits,<br>
> lets make some robots.<br>
><br>
> Its when we have a breakdown of the partnership between makers and<br>
> hackers that there is friction. Let's say some makers start hosting<br>
> classes like "hacking yoga". Oh wait, that's already happening isn't<br>
> it? It would be all good if there were coders or electrical<br>
> engineering types in the class, but if I had to bet, it would be that<br>
> they are very much in the minority in that class. Now that we've got<br>
> makers, non makers and non hackers using the label of hacking for a<br>
> yoga class that hackers do not benefit from, naturally this makes the<br>
> hackers pissed off.<br>
><br>
> This is why people who do code and circuits get pissed off when the<br>
> see the word hacker used so loosely. I hope this lets people better<br>
> understand the situation at a kind of sociological level at least.<br>
> This is not just some pet peeve, it is very real and its effects can't<br>
> be positive for the community at noisebridge.<br>
><br>
><br>
> Fuck I should start a new project "Hacking Noisebridge"<br>
> On Tue, Mar 15, 2011 at 6:30 PM, rachel lyra hospodar<br>
> <<a href="mailto:rachel@mediumreality.com" target="_blank">rachel@mediumreality.com</a>> wrote:<br>
><br>
> What does it mean, to hack?<br>
><br>
> Is sewing hacking? garments are a technological system we use<br>
> to<br>
> regulate temperature. I use a machine to modify them,<br>
> creatively and in<br>
> contravention of established norms.<br>
><br>
> If yes, what about other dimensional art forms? i just used a<br>
> table saw<br>
> on plywood, is that hacking? Plywood is a highly engineered<br>
> material.<br>
> Is this only hacking if i use it as a truss, so that its<br>
> properties are<br>
> called on to distribute force? what if i use it for its<br>
> unnatural flatness?<br>
><br>
> if no, what about if i sew a circuitboard into a garment? is<br>
> it only<br>
> hacking when there is conductive thread in my machine? what<br>
> about when<br>
> i am sewing an insulation layer?<br>
><br>
> Stop saying what isn't and define what is!<br>
><br>
> On 3/14/2011 11:36 PM, Evan Bangham wrote:<br>
> > Politics|Cooking|Art|Writing != Hacking<br>
> ><br>
> > Yes, hacking can involve creativity and breaking established<br>
> norms, but you<br>
> > can't just use it as a blanket term to describe doing<br>
> anything that involves<br>
> > these things.<br>
> ><br>
> <snip><br>
> ><br>
> > The slow food hacking thing I suppose enters the realm of<br>
> hacking to a<br>
> > limited extent because it is using chemistry and the like,<br>
> and I imagine is<br>
> > subversive in some way. I could say the same about<br>
> photography and the like<br>
> > as long as it breaking the established norms of the medium<br>
> and is harnessing<br>
> > technology in some way. Traditional fine art however, can<br>
> never be 'hacked'<br>
> > because it is just so far removed from the realm of anything<br>
> related to<br>
> > technology or science.<br>
> ><br>
> > I think in many senses I'm being far to accommodating for<br>
> these expanded<br>
> > definitions of the term as it is though.<br>
> ><br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
</div></div><div><div></div><div>> _______________________________________________<br>
> Noisebridge-discuss mailing list<br>
> <a href="mailto:Noisebridge-discuss@lists.noisebridge.net" target="_blank">Noisebridge-discuss@lists.noisebridge.net</a><br>
> <a href="https://www.noisebridge.net/mailman/listinfo/noisebridge-discuss" target="_blank">https://www.noisebridge.net/mailman/listinfo/noisebridge-discuss</a><br>
<br>
_______________________________________________<br>
Noisebridge-discuss mailing list<br>
<a href="mailto:Noisebridge-discuss@lists.noisebridge.net" target="_blank">Noisebridge-discuss@lists.noisebridge.net</a><br>
<a href="https://www.noisebridge.net/mailman/listinfo/noisebridge-discuss" target="_blank">https://www.noisebridge.net/mailman/listinfo/noisebridge-discuss</a><br>
</div></div></blockquote></div><br></div></div></div></div>
<br>_______________________________________________<br>
Noisebridge-discuss mailing list<br>
<a href="mailto:Noisebridge-discuss@lists.noisebridge.net" target="_blank">Noisebridge-discuss@lists.noisebridge.net</a><br>
<a href="https://www.noisebridge.net/mailman/listinfo/noisebridge-discuss" target="_blank">https://www.noisebridge.net/mailman/listinfo/noisebridge-discuss</a><br>
<br></blockquote></div><br>
</div></div><br>_______________________________________________<br>
Noisebridge-discuss mailing list<br>
<a href="mailto:Noisebridge-discuss@lists.noisebridge.net">Noisebridge-discuss@lists.noisebridge.net</a><br>
<a href="https://www.noisebridge.net/mailman/listinfo/noisebridge-discuss" target="_blank">https://www.noisebridge.net/mailman/listinfo/noisebridge-discuss</a><br>
<br></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>-Snailssnailssnailssnailssnailssnailssnails<br>