Hacker vs. Cracker

[Paul McFedries]

According to the Jargon File, cracker was "coined ca. 1985 by hackers in
defense against journalistic misuse of hacker." So cracker is definitely not
a media term, although it's probably a non-Silicon Valley word since most of
the Jargon File seems to have an east coast (read: MIT),
mainframe/minicomputer vibe. However, we can safely say that cracker was
created by someone who is now among the "old folks," so don't feel so bad,
Andrea.

It's interesting to note that people have now spent a good 15 years trying
to get the media to use cracker instead of hacker when referring to
programmers who have succumbed to the dark side of The Force. I think it's
safe to say that the battle is now officially lost. In the minds of the
media and the general public, "hacker" now means "any person who disrupts or
damages a computer system or network."

Paul

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> Gee, I must be completely out of touch, heads down creating software
products,
> because I've never heard the term "cracker" amongst my coworkers in that
> context.  This must be a media term, or a non-Silicon Valley term, or
> something.  Maybe us old folks are left out of this terminology creation
thing -
> "Sssh, here comes someone over 30!"