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From: aeq@pucc-h (Jeff Sargent)
Newsgroups: net.followup,net.flame
Subject: Re: Hacker.  A definition.
Message-ID: <524@pucc-h>
Date: Tue, 7-Feb-84 03:10:07 EST
Article-I.D.: pucc-h.524
Posted: Tue Feb  7 03:10:07 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 9-Feb-84 13:38:17 EST
References: <3230@utcsrgv.UUCP>
Organization: Purdue University Computing Center
Lines: 17

On the flip side of the issue, I have always thought that "hacker" in the
original computerese sense of the word was a pejorative term, meaning one who
was obsessed with machines, often to the exclusion of people (superficial
socializing with those who are also obsessed with machines does not count as
really relating to people!).  Hackers are those who are unable to cope with
real life (what's a favorite hacker pastime?  Fantasy games!).  I bade fair
to become a full-bore hacker myself in my earlier years (and I still keep
hacker hours)--so I KNOW that it was largely because I had difficulty relating
to people, because I had one of the weakest egos this side of the Hudson.
I suspect that this may be one of the general underlying causes of the hacking
syndrome in many cases.

Putting on my asbestos gloves (gotta protect those guitar-playing fingers) and
my asbestos lab coat (I am known as "Dr. Blotto[*]" locally)...

-- Jeff Sargent/...pur-ee!pucc-h:aeq
[*] "Blotto" is a trademark of the Purdue University Computing Center.