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Eric Raymond |
Have you ever wanted to become a hacker? Since the mid-20th century, the term “hack” has been commonly used in the computer expert community with the phrase “I hack around with computers,” meaning “I tinker with computers.”
In this context, a hacker is seen as someone who understands systems, has the ability to overcome technical challenges, and turns the “impossible” into “possible.” To help people better understand the hacker community and hacker culture, we present a summary of an article by Eric Raymond – one of the most respected hackers.
For a long time, in the media and the community, the terms hack and hacker have been understood in a negative sense, synonymous with computer crime. In fact, originally, the term hack referred to the spectacular feats of exceptional programming talent; where the programmer found solutions to challenging problems in innovative and creative ways. You can refer to online dictionaries like Wikipedia, Webopedia, Whatis, and others. However, due to some individuals exploiting their programming skills to engage in “malicious games,” harming others’ computer systems, the terms hack and hacker have been “tainted” – a fact that true hackers find disheartening. Here is Eric Raymond’s article, one of the truly respected hackers in the global open-source community, attempting to clarify “Hacker – who are you really?”
What is a Hacker?
Decades ago, during the era of large shared computers and the early experiments that led to the creation of ARPANET, a community of talented computer experts emerged, along with a unique culture. The term “hacker” originated from that culture. Hackers built the Internet, created the Unix operating system, and operated Usenet and the World Wide Web. If you belong to that culture, if you have contributed to it and are recognized by the hacker community as a hacker, then you are a hacker.
There are people who loudly claim to be hackers, but in reality, they are not. These individuals (often young men) are typically caught for computer intrusion and causing chaos in telephone systems. True hackers refer to them as crackers and want nothing to do with them. Almost every hacker believes that crackers are lazy, irresponsible, and not particularly talented. The ability to penetrate security systems does not make one a hacker, just as the ability to steal cars does not make one an automotive engineer. Unfortunately, many journalists and writers mistakenly refer to crackers as hackers. This terminology is profoundly disrespectful to true hackers.
The fundamental difference is that hackers are builders, while crackers are destroyers.
Basic Skills of a True Hacker
Learn Programming
If you don’t know any programming languages yet, I recommend starting with Python. Although it is a great language for beginners, Python is by no means a “toy” language. It is powerful, flexible, and suitable for large projects.
Java is also a good language to learn programming. Java is harder to learn than Python, but Java code runs faster. If you choose Java, use an open-source Java interpreter and avoid relying on Sun’s Java class libraries.
One thing to remember is that knowing only one or two programming languages is insufficient to reach the necessary level of a true hacker, or even a programmer. You need to start thinking about programming issues in a general way, independent of any programming language. You must reach a level where you can learn a new programming language in a few days by relating the content of that language’s documentation to what you already know. This also means you should learn multiple programming languages.
To delve into programming fundamentally, you must learn C because C is the core language of Unix. If you know C, you can easily learn C++ or vice versa. However, neither C nor C++ is a good starting point for learning programming.
Perl and LISP are also very important programming languages. Perl is highly favored for creating dynamic websites and system administration. LISP helps you gain deep insights into many programming concepts.
Learn to Use Open Source Unix
You must install a version of Linux or BSD-UNIX on your personal computer and learn how to use it. Unix is the operating system of the Internet. Unix and the Internet are so symbiotic that Microsoft cannot shake them; read Unix’s source code and modify it, and you will have a lot of fun and gain profound insights.
Learn English to Communicate
Learn English to a level where you can communicate. English is indeed the communication language of the hacker community.
Although Linus Torvalds is Finnish, he always writes comments in the source code in English. Thanks to his fluent English, he has been able to gather a global community of programmers to develop Linux.
Native English speakers are not automatically competent enough to be true hackers. If you write in English poorly, with grammatical errors and misspellings, the true hacker community will likely not want to engage with you. Sloppy writing often indicates sloppy thinking.
Hacker Culture
Hacker culture is a culture of contribution. You gain reputation in the hacker community not because you are more talented than others, but because you give your time, creativity, and results to the community. Hacker culture does not tolerate selfishness.
To be recognized by the hacker community, traditionally, you must write programs that the community considers good and useful, and you must donate the source code for everyone to use. Nowadays, the hacker community and the open-source community are largely two different names for the same entity.
If you are a newcomer, you should serve the community by testing open-source programs. From testing, you can gradually transition to debugging and modifying the source code. This process will help you learn a lot.
Hacker Style
Alongside computer-related skills, you should also pay attention to other skills that will help you embrace the true hacker spirit:
– Master your native language. Despite the stereotype that programmers can’t write, all the hackers I know write very well.
– Read science fiction. Characters in science fiction often embody the archetype of a hacker.
– Practice a martial art. The spirit of martial arts closely resembles that of hackers.
– Learn to meditate. To learn meditation, you don’t have to join a particular religion or abandon your own. However, you must be careful not to get caught up in anything “crazy.”
– Cultivate an “ear for music.” Learn to appreciate unusual music genres. You should also learn to sing and to play a musical instrument well.
– You should also have a knack for wordplay.
The more often you engage in the practices mentioned above, the more qualities of a true hacker you will develop. Although the meanings of these practices are not entirely clear, they relate to a blend of skills from both the left and right hemispheres of the brain. This is important for hackers, as they are both logical thinkers and those who often step outside conventional “reason.”
For true hackers, the lines between play and work, science and art seem to disappear. Everything merges into a high-level creative game. Hackers always possess numerous skills. They never do anything halfway; if they decide to hone a certain skill, they often become exceptionally proficient at it.
