From: erikb@tic.com (Chris Goggans)
Subject: Re: Re- Legion of Doom
Organization: Texas Internet Consulting
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1992 15:38:46 GMT

Arg.

Having fallen under the umbrella covering every one of the three
words above, I'm wondering how Peter derives his own little
personal definitions.  I hate this thread, and will kick myself
for having contributed to it, but I'm stupid, so here goes:

Phreak:  aka Phone Phreak, of the genre who share an almost obsessive
         curiousity regarding the telephone system.  Originating
         back in the late 60's with the underground network of
         individuals who conducted their communication via
         an electronic toll-fraud device known (affectionately)
         as a blue box.  The word in more current underground 
         circles is used among many to describe those who use
         a variety of means to evade toll charges, this would
         include, but is not limited to, calling cards, pbxes, 
         call-divertors, and assorted electronic toll-fraud
         devices.

Hacker:  of the genre who share an almost obsessive curiousity regarding
         computers and computer networks.  Originating back in the 60's
         with a group of people lucky enough to have access to the
         first generation of computers and who holed up for extended
         periods of time trying to make them do nifty things.  Modern
         definitions of hacker often define it as an individual who
         breaks into computer systems.  This is an improper use of the word
         as the breach of security is only a means to reach the ultimate
         goal of understanding the inner workings of the system penetrated.

Cracker:  In an almost paranoid scramble to disassociate themselves
          from individuals who currently are referred to as "hackers"
          mainstream computer users, and those who think they are beyond
          reproach, have coined this term to describe individuals who
          breach computer security.  This is a rediculous term since
          the only people who can make the true distinction between
          hacker and cracker is one who is already familiar with the
          community, and the people responsible for associating the
          word hacker solely with crime, ie: media, have absolutely
          no clue, and would never make the distinction.  It is
          of relevance to note that this word popped up only a short
          while ago.

You can call me any of the above if you like.  However, I pay for all
my telephone calls and would never even give thought to breaking
into a computer just to see if can be done (and I can think of noone
wou would).  But gee Chris, you still like to learn a lot about
computer systems, and you still read up on telephone equipment, and
you still write silly things for Phrack about computers and companies
that you by all rights should know nothing about. 

Am I a packet-switched phreak?  Am I a neo-hacker?  Am I a phreak-like
cracker?   Am I a genetic-mutation?  Does it matter?  Label away.

I wonder how many people who perpitrate the hacker v. cracker thing
were GIVEN access to the machines they wanted to learn.  Probably
all of them.  Were we able to switch places in time, and I was
expressing the desire to learn 20 years ago, and they were merely
in their 20's now, I would probably have a hard time figuring out
why these damn kids have to go and mess with things, forgetting
that when I got into computers, there were so few that if you
were smart enough, you got access to them legitimately.

I further wonder how many people still say gay when they mean happy.

->ME
Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk