Hackers - Evolution of the Label

The word 'hacker' has a very different meaning today than it did 20-30 years ago. In Cliff Stoll's book "The Cuckoo's Egg" he points out that the word was generally used within the community of programmers to describe a very skilled coder. Being called a hacker was high praise coming from your peers. The advent of networking computers across the globe had begun to change the connotation of 'hacker' to mean something quite different. A hacker was now a derogatory term used to describe programmers who used their skills to break into other computers and cause some sort of detrimental effect. A hacker is still obviously a skilled programmer, but now calling someone a hacker implies ill will.

The evolution of this term reflects the gradual increase in technical knowledge among the general public. Stoll showed that hackers were able to gain access to others computers because even the system admins didn't know how to protect their computer systems. Since that time, technology has gotten more complex and likewise the systems used to protect them have as well. Operating systems on modern computers include safety precautions such as firewalls and anti-virus software to discourage hackers. That being said, hackers are also improving their methods. Vigilance and care are required to avoid the malicious effects of hackers and viruses.