Thread about Hackers

[Mike Hudson <mike@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

James brings up something that bothers me sometimes.  The difference 
between the term "hacker" and "cracker," and "script kiddie."  Is it 
worth it to make a distinction in your head or will most people just 
look at you like you have a third head? 

To me, a hacker is someone who creates something, a cracker is someone 
who breaks into that created thing, and a script kiddie is someone who 
downloads programs off the internet to break into things without really 
having any knowledge of what the programs do, in other words, using 
other people's work (which they freely release) to do their business.  
It is my opinion that a script kiddie should never be referred to as a 
hacker or as a cracker.  With respect to using the word "cracker" to 
describe people who break into systems, is it possible that this 
convention is avoided because of the other slang uses of the word 
"cracker," specifically the one referring to ethnicity? 
(http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=cracker)

I try to use the convention above whenever I speak, but even I slip up 
sometimes.  The other day, I mentioned that I was afraid of users 
"hacking our system."  The American vernacular seems to be that a hacker 
is someone who breaks into systems.  Even dictionary.com lists a hacker 
as " One who uses programming skills to gain illegal access to a 
computer network or file." 
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/hacker). 

Am I splitting hairs?  do the rest of you feel the same way?  Is all of 
this new to any of you?  Have you all gotten too much email today already?

James Carman wrote:
> It would definitely help, but hackers can crack almost anything.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: deshmol-lists@xxxxxxxxx [mailto:deshmol-lists@xxxxxxxxx] 
> Sent: Friday, August 11, 2006 11:22 AM
> To: users@xxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: RE: [cinjug-users] Product Keys
>
> since part of the problem is that java can be
> decompiled so easily, i wonder if using jni for the
> licensing code could help.
>
> ~ amol
>
>   
--

Mike Hudson
mike@xxxxxxxxxxx
Developer
Zebra Mobile Marketing, LLC
513-546-4166