At 09:09 14/05/2002 -0500, Cameron Dorey wrote:
>Lee Goddard wrote:
> >
> > At 08:50 13/05/2002 -0400, Tillman, James wrote:
> >
> > >We're discussing hackers using the true meaning of the word, which is "a
> > >programmer who loves his craft", not "a stupid jerk with nothing better to
> > >do than trash other people's systems."
> >
> > Pedantic: the former is usually technically referred to as an acquired
> meaning,
> > as is the latter. There are of course few "true" meanings to words, but
> > the most widely-established use of the word "hacker" is the latter, derived
> > from the use in literary circles to refer to those who can't really
> write, but
> > do so anyway for money.
> >
> > I've got an OED CD-ROM here somewhere.
>
>I don't have OED here, but according to Mirriam-Webster OnLine, you're
>more closely referring to a "hack" (which was my first impression):
>
>"3a : a person who works solely for mercenary reasons : HIRELING <party
>hacks> b : a writer who works on order; also : a writer who aims solely
>for commercial success]"
>...
>Cameron Dorey
>Associate Professor of Chemistry
What about the verb, from which hacker may stem?
Lee, BA (Hons), MSc (Sussex),
Just noticing everyone is using formal sigs these days
Lee Goddard
perl -e "while(1){print rand>0.5 ? chr 47 : chr 92}"
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