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We at TMRC use the term "hacker" only in its original meaning, someone who
applies ingenuity to create a clever result, called a "hack". The essence
of a "hack" is that it is done quickly, and is usually inelegant. It
accomplishes the desired goal without changing the design of the system it
is embedded in. Despite often being at odds with the design of the larger
system, a hack is generally quite clever and effective.
This original benevolent meaning stands in stark contrast to the later and
more commonly used meaning of a "hacker", typically as a person
who breaks into computer networks in order to steal or vandalize. Here at
TMRC, where the words "hack" and "hacker" originated and have been used
proudly since the late 1950s, we resent the misapplication of the
word to mean the committing of illegal acts. People who do those things are
better described by expressions such as "thieves", "password crackers". or
"computer vandals". They are certainly not true hackers, as they do not
understand the hacker ethic.
Also see the
definition of "hacker" in the on-line version of the New Hacker's
Dictionary.
The Tech Model Railroad Club is featured as
the first chapter of Hackers, by Steven Levy (New York: Anchor Press/Doubleday, 1984). It is credited as one (possibly the
primary) source of the Hacker Culture the book describes.
Several entries in The New Hacker's Dictionary, (Second Edition, edited by Eric S. Raymond (MIT Press, 1993); ISBN 0-262-68079-3) are derived from Abridged Dictionary of the TMRC Language. There is also an online version of the book's content.
The cover article in Railroad Model Craftsman, July 1986 was a preview of the club for the 1986
NMRA convention held in Boston. A converted copy of the
text we submitted is available online.
Tech Model Railroad Club of
 MIT Room N52-118 265 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02139
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+1 617 253-3269 Email: tmrc-web@mit.edu |