Context, as with use of any jargon, will always be critical when using the word 'hacker'.

Essentially the word exists in two languages -- one, a technical jargon spoken by people who mean ~ 'technical expert' (or something) when they say 'hacker'; the other is common english, spoken by people who mean 'computer criminal' (or whatever) when they use the word.

We speak both languages, but most people only speak common English -- it's up to us to ensure that we speak the right language for the people we are talking to, as they may not even be aware that 'hacker' means different things in different languages, and using the wrong language will convey at best less information than we intend, at worse false information.

Similarly, when my aunt asks me what I do I tell her I work in IT for a telecoms company, as talking about Unix sysadmin and software loadbuilds for VOIP switches would convey less information to her.

Do we need a term to mean techie-hacker in common english? Are most people able to draw any distinction between a techie-hacker and and other 'IT' person? Should we simply accept that in common english the word hacker means computer criminal, and that there is not enough awareness of what we do to draw finer distinctions than 'IT' or 'computer programmer'?

In reply to Re: The new 'hacker' word? by Callum
in thread The new 'hacker' word? by BUU

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