Quote from The Cuckoo's Egg - by Clifford Stoll

"he's not much of an astronomer, but what a computer hacker!

But in common usage, a hacker is someone who breaks into computers.*

*What word describes someone who breaks into computers? Old style software wizards are proud to be called hackers, and resent the scofflaws who have appropriated the word. On the networks, wizards refer to these hoodlums of our electronic age as 'crackers' or 'cyberpunks'."

I think it's fairly obvious that the correct term for someone who breaks into computers with malicious intent is 'cracker' but, as we seem to worship ignorance, the mob rules and 'hacker' is acceptable amongst the proles.

 

Great comments, AusS2000, thanks for clearing up the confusion! Based on what I know about history, computers, and the internet, you are dead on!

 

hmmmm...

 

S2Kfan, still thinking? Penny for your thoughts? Or a dime....or a quarter......you get the idea......