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With reference to the Bombay Times article "Hackers Ahoy":
The real hacker community strongly resents your portrayal of hackers as
people out to do mischief to other people's computers. The people referred
to as 'hackers' in the article in question are what the true hacker
community calls 'crackers'.
A true hacker, as defined by the jargon file
(URL:http://www.tuxedo.org/jargon>) is someone who is very, very, good at
what he (or she!) does. Such a person is not interested in vandalising
computers. Such a person bangs on their *own* machines to see how they
work.
The article in question perpetuates a deep-seated misconception of the
hacker community. Hackers are not criminals. Another document you may want
to read is at <URL:http://www.tuxedo.org/~esr/faqs/hacker-howto.html>.
Several people, including IITians (I do not have a reference handy, but it
was in one of the Times of India issues in June), have expressed strong
disapproval of the usage of the term 'hackers' in your esteemed
publications (including the Times of India and Bombay Times). I hope all
these messages get the point across: hacking is a respectable activity and
does not mean breaking into other people's computers or vandalising
networks.
I am copying this message to the Bombay Linux Users Group because several
members have similar concerns.
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