HACK (1) to change a program so that is does something the original programmer either didn't want it to do or didn't plan for it. Hacking a program is not neccessarily cracking, and vise versa. See also CRACK (2) To code a program. "I hacked out version 1.0a1 last week." (3) To break into a computer. (4) To alter in a clever way the status quo. (5) What you do; if you were a pilot, you could say "I hack planes." As far as I know, this was first used in 1994 by Bruce Sterling in _Heavy Weather_. #HACK The hacking irc channel _THE HACKER CRACKDOWN_ [Law and Disorder on the Electronic Frontier] Nonfiction novel by Bruce Sterling about the Hacker Crackdown of 1990. Posted to the Net in 1993 because of extensive legal maneuverings between Sterling and his publisher THE HACKER CRACKDOWN OF 1990 Name given to the massive crackdown, of which Operation Sundevil was the largest part HACKER There are about 20,000 definitions of a hacker floating around. These are some of the most common: (1) Any computer user. It drives everyone else crazy when anyone refers to a novice user as a "hacker." (Am I the only one who cringed when, in _Jurassic Park_, that girl goes "We prefer to be called hackers"? Really, am I the only one?) (2) A computer user who spends a lot of time on the system with an almost fetishistic approach. Usually refers to someone who knows a lot about computers, even if they are not a programmer. (3) Any user of an online service, such as CompuServe, AOL or the Internet. That’s another sort of annoying one, since just because some businessman goes on AOL to send email to grandma, that does not mean he is a hacker. (4) A programmer. (5) A computer user who uses his skills unlawfully in any matter, usually to "break into" another system through a network. (6) A master programmer capable of things that seem "magical." [All of these are from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s programmers in the 1960s, who called themselves "hackers," to refer to making a program better and more efficient, or making it do something it was not originally intended to do. The media overused this to an incredible extent, which added all the other definitions.] _THE HACKER FILES_ Comic book limited series published by DC Comics; gathered some press. It was well-researched and included characters based on Gail Thackeray and Robert Morris _HACKERS_ 1995 film about... well, hackers. Response in the underground was mixed; many (possibly most) hated it and couldn’t stand the many technical errors, while others liked it, even though it was incredibly unrealistic. (Let’s face it, any movie that has someone get into a supercomputer with the password "GOD" and has UNIX apparently replaced by some sort of cyberspatial three dimensional GUI has some realism problems.) Also notable because "Jack Devlin," claiming to be an independant contractor from the ILF after "faking his death at the hands of Sandra Bullock" (see _The Net_) hacked MGM/UA’s system and messed with the home page. MGM was pretty nice about it though, and even kept the page and linked it to the official page. Of course, it would have been pretty stupid and hypocritical of them to track down whoever did it and prosecute him. (While his original bravado-filled message has been widely spread on the Net, was is not so publicized is a second letter, which may have been made up to save face by the people who set up the page-- but I kind of doubt it-- apologizing and asking not to be prosecuted.) Also, Emmanuel Goldstein was one of the "hacking consultants," and Phiber Optik said that it was the most accurate movie Hollywood’s made about hacking, which isn’t very hard. Many members of MOD and ex-members of LOD were consulted for the original script, but most became upset with how the film actually turned out. If you want my opinion, which you probably don’t, I thought it was okay despite the technical inaccuracy, because it was an entertaining movie with a cool soundtrack. I hope that the fact that it barely made back production costs shows studio executives not to try and find the next trend, make a movie on it and flaunt the small amount of knowledge they gained through research. (What was the deal with _Wipeout_, that video game? And, hmm... Gibson, what a sneaky reference! What in-joke could they possibly be making? And Da Vinci virus-- could that be a sly allusion to the infamous Michaelangelo virus?) The most ironic thing about the film is that at the end AT&T gets thanked _HACKERS: HEROES OF THE COMPUTER REVOLUTION_ Novel by Steven Levy about the original MIT hackers. Haven’t read it yet HACKERS ON PLANET EARTH see HOPE _HACK-TIC_ The Dutch equivalent of _2600_. Published by Rop Gonggrijp. (I want a Dutch name really bad, just so people would go crazy trying to spell it.) You can reach _Hack-tic_ (or rather the editor) at rop@hacktic.nl HAFNER, KATHERINE M. Co-author of _Cyberpunk_; technology journalist for _Newsweek_. Can be reached at kmh@well.sf.ca.us HAGBARD CELINE [19 -1989] Handle of Karl Koch, a German hacker and member of the Chaos Computer Club. Mentally unstable, in part due to his heavy use of drugs. Committed suicide (probably; murder has been suggested) by dousing himself in gasoline and setting himself on fire on the twenty-third of the month, fulfilling _The Illuminatus! Trilogy_’s quote that "All the great anarchists died on the 23rd day of some month or other," and the recurrence of the number 23. [Handle comes one of the characters in _The Illuminatus! Trilogy_ by Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson, a Discordian anarchist pirate; unlike most hackers who take handles from SF, Koch believed he actually was the protagonist of the novel.] HANDLE A pseudonym or nom de guerre. [From CB radio.] HAPPY HARDCORE Handle of Nicholas Ryan, a Yale University student. As programmer of AOL4Free, Hardcore commited "computer fraud" throughout 1995 and released his program to the Net, and as a result was convicted by the Secret Service and the US Justice Department in early 1997. The Secret Service and InJustice Department have become corporate whores who prosecute anyone who threatens the interests of powerful companies like AOL-- in the words of AOL's "Integrity Assurance" vice president, this case is a "legal milestone." HAQR, HAQUER, HAXOR Variant spellings of "hacker." All of them are pronounced like "hacker." HARDY, BOB see EMMANUEL GOLDSTEIN HEADLEY, SUSAN see SUSAN THUNDER HEINZ, ERIC see AGENT STEAL HESS, MARKUS [1962-Present] Alias Matthias Speer. Former member of the Chaos Computer Club. Hacked for the KGB. Currently a professional programmer HOFFMAN, ABBIE Alias Barry Freed. Possibly the first phreaker, a yippy who died under suspicious circumstances in the 1989. Supposedly had the largest FBI file ever. Author of _Steal This Book_, about how poor hippy anarchists could survive (my suggestion– enlist as an extra in _Hair_), as well as _Revolution For the Hell of It_ and _Woodstock Nation_. Started the infamous _TAP_, or "Technical Assistance Program." HOLLAND see THE NETHERLANDS HOLLAND, WAU [full name: Hewart Holland-Moritz] Founder of the Chaos Computer Club and German hacker HOLLAND-MORITZ, HEWART see HOLLAND, WAU HOLLIDAY, SAM see DE PAYNE, LOUIS HOPE [Hackers on Planet Earth] Recent convention, sponsored by 2600 HOWARD TRIPOD see EMMANUEL GOLDSTEIN