Traditional Conceptions of Hacking
Heterogeneous meaning
The term hacker is a controversial term with a variety of definitions and meanings in multiple settings and contexts, generally used with negative connotations. Hacking occurs in a range of contexts –some positive and some negative- but in all cases, a purposeful change occurs to an artefact’s design or function whether desired or not by a third party. The original architect, designer or engineer may never have intended or envisaged a hack to occur, for many reasons such as preservation integrity, security or control of intellectual property, but it happens none the less.
Hacking can be used to generate meaning and value as an outcome, or it can be used to destroy corrupt or act as simple inconvenience; but in all instances it is a conscious act by a group or individual adapting or modify a technological artefact to affect the cause-and-effect relationship involved in achieving its designed and desired task outcomes, whether for good, bad, constructive or destructive purposes.
What is a hack?
The hacker noun embodies several acts by dictionary definition; again not explicitly referring to positive or generative acts but those in which a person:
- ...uses computers to gain unauthorized access to data (an enthusiastic and skilful computer programmer or user).
- person or thing that hacks or cuts roughly [Dictionaries, 2012].
References
- [Dictionaries, 2012] ^ Dictionaries, O. (2012). "Definition for hacker - Oxford Dictionaries Online (World English)." Retrieved April 22, 2012, from http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/hacker?q=hacker.
