Comment Re:Hack or Crack? (Score 1) 93
So what does hacking have to do with cracking and what do either have to do with computers? Computers are just a tool, hacking covers a lot more then computer systems and their security. Just because you can gain root on Joe Bob's porn server doesn't really mean you're a hacker. Computers are a tool, not a definitive medium that all hackers must know and all crackers must break into. People were cracking past security systems before Babbage was born. It could be said that fire was the first hack. I think people really don't understand what hacking entails, otherwise they would see this as a truly absurd discussion.
What this whole debate (generally) is really about is whether or not hacking a computer necessarily entails breaking past it's security measures. I'd say that answer is obvious to everyone. For instance If I don't like the way a piece of software conducts itself I may attempt to change it, this would be a hack. Whether it's at the hardware or the software level, hacking your own box is still hacking and usually does not necessitate breaking past your own security. Some times you may want to change the way someone else's system behaves, or bypass it's occasionally arbitrary restrictions on the information held within it. You may hack this system, you may be hacking it to crack into it, like cracking into a safe. These two process are different, just often used together to gain access and break through the systems security. I don't see why the difference isn't obvious. It's the same as the difference between driving a car and hot wiring it. You may need to hot wire it in order to drive it more effectively, but no one is going to say, "hey look at that guy hot wire that car though the drive thru".
Hacking is simply put, the implementation of superior knowledge to facilitate superior need (I hacked that car because I need to go faster).
What this whole debate (generally) is really about is whether or not hacking a computer necessarily entails breaking past it's security measures. I'd say that answer is obvious to everyone. For instance If I don't like the way a piece of software conducts itself I may attempt to change it, this would be a hack. Whether it's at the hardware or the software level, hacking your own box is still hacking and usually does not necessitate breaking past your own security. Some times you may want to change the way someone else's system behaves, or bypass it's occasionally arbitrary restrictions on the information held within it. You may hack this system, you may be hacking it to crack into it, like cracking into a safe. These two process are different, just often used together to gain access and break through the systems security. I don't see why the difference isn't obvious. It's the same as the difference between driving a car and hot wiring it. You may need to hot wire it in order to drive it more effectively, but no one is going to say, "hey look at that guy hot wire that car though the drive thru".
Hacking is simply put, the implementation of superior knowledge to facilitate superior need (I hacked that car because I need to go faster).
