“Hacker Not Cracker?” Weird name, huh?

Some time ago, I was reading an article about the history of hackers. As opposed to the common pop-culture prototype of a black-garbed pubescent teenager breaking into computer networks, hackers were computer enthusiasts or hobbyists. Basically, these people were exceptional when dealing with computers. They longed to discover the inner workings of these machines and their dream was to become experts in the field. It wasn’t until popular media started using the term that it began to take a negative connotation.

Recently, I wrote a paper about the subject of hacker origins and the truth. In it, I defended this real meaning of “hacker.” So here I am, taking another step in dispelling the negative feelings that surround hackers.

The proper term for “black-hat” hackers who do malicious acts against others’ personal information and computers (such as stealing/using unauthorized credit card information) is “crackers.” (Not to be confused with saltines or the derogatory term for Caucasians) That being said, I am a “Hacker not [a] cracker.”

In this blog, I post articles dealing with advanced computing. Although the posts are directed toward the computer savvy, wannabes are also welcomed!

Interesting Facts

• I’m a musically-talented vegetarian hacker.
• My MySpace profile is the best place to find out about me.
• I soup up my computer, not my car.
• Kevin Rose is cool.
• Cold pizza is my favorite breakfast dish.
• Caffeine pills are so much more cooler to take than sodas, coffee, or caffeine serum syrups.

FAQ

• I don’t understand your highly advanced computer jargon! What’s up with that!? I assume readers to have intermediate to advanced computer knowledge. Also, this website is generally targeted to the @ Generation, Generation X, Generation Y, Generation Z, iGeneration, blah, blah, blah, etc.
• Why did you write something that is legally questionable? You’ve got to know that hackers are known to get as close to the legal/illegal line as possible (sometimes, they even venture past it). I’m a white hat hacker but sometimes I get bored with my “headgear.” So, once in a while, I might post something in the gray or black area. For the record, I don’t condone illegal activities and the articles in this website are for informative purposes only.
• How do I contact you? On every page, there should be a contact link at the top menu near the logo. Or, you can click the query me link on the bottom of the left sidebar in every page.
• I heard about/read about/saw you somewhere! Are you famous? Unless you equate web designing and blogging with fame … not quite. Though, I made it on the front page of digg, I wrote an article for ProBlogger, and I sell on eBay (under the username araytb)!
• Hey! This is a cool site! Do you maintain any others? Visit my main website [artisan] [/applications] or my blog network (temporary URL at the moment).
• What’s with the weird, fun, and zany text that you use in this site? The left-sidebar headings are derived common well-known programming keywords and syntax. Most hackers (who are also programmers) will understand them. You can find the programming languages C, HTML, and PHP in there. The logo and the menu is in Leet (or 1337), a “linguistic phenomenon” that hackers (mostly wannabes), gamers, and just normal internet users write.
• Hey! You haven’t updated in a while! Why is that? Eh … I get busy with the cares of this world I try to post a least once a week on all of my blogs. Rest assured, if I miss a week, I take note of it and plan to make it up (double-posting).

---