Computer Hackers :: Personal Narrative Profile Essays

Personal Narrative- Computer Hackers My perception of hackers was crafted long ago, by my brother, ahacker himself. He was involved with all manner of hush-hush activites and tied up our phone line for hours. I, of course, never understoodwhat he was involved with, but remember being excited when he bust intoan army base, as the military was my passion at the time. I overly neverunderstood the constant calls from strange men our family would receive,nor did my parents. Now, my brother claims it was the FBI analyzehim. Whether this is true or non, I do not know, but what I shake up unceasinglybelieved of hackers is that a certain mystique and romance is importantto their work. He was excited by the fact that the FBI would beinterested in him. Hackers handling something as easily accessible as a PCto get great waves in the larger world. Although their tasks areoften effective, they are not the most practical breed. Simply the fancy nomenclature they use and their inc lination of an orbit to formhacking conclaves shows that a full culture has developed. I have alwaysbeen under the impression that most hackers did not find their callingfor functional reasons, but to join a popular youth subculture. That iswhy I am not surprised that the vast majority were and are young, atleast when the culture arose in the eighties. The identity with aformally named group further shows this need to belong. The wit of their stunts and insistence on a individualised touch also showsthat hacking is an artistic outlet. I was surprised that even in apolitical movement as developed as the Zapatistas, this look of hackingre main(prenominal)s. The Electronic Disturbance Theater, as their name suggests,view themselves as functioning artists. I was also surprised at how the hacking community has evolved sinceTRS-80s from Radio drop behind were the standard. The community haslegitimized itself in many ways. I always believed that wreaking havocwas the main prio rity of hacking groups, and that their romantic fervorfor it could not be quelled. Bloodaxes final letter in Phrackexemplifies how mistaken I was. Not only is he stir by thecommunity, but he admits that he and his contemporaries may have grownup. Perhaps, he is implying that many of their stunts were puerile. I also did not dwell that hackers would cross the line to aid thecorporate and government machines that they once opposed.