[charlchi]

> The people who visit this website are the people who are paid to create and administer all of this technology.

Exactly, some falsely assume all technologists somehow share an enthusiasm for morality. Many of the most successful technologists I know simply work for the highest pay from military/intelligence contracts.

[arminiusreturns]

The term "hacker" in "hacker news" is too misleading, especially those of us who use the more RMS-esque definition of it. Petition to change to something more appropos.

[segfaultbuserr]

I personally agree that the more RMS-esque or Steven Levy definition of "hacker" is a good idea. However, we must acknowledge that "hackers" is not never a homogeneous group, and even more so today. I know some greyhat hackers who do brilliant technical works that rightfully entitie them "hacker", but they have questionable ethics. Normally I use the generic definition from RFC 1392 as the compromise.

> hacker: A person who delights in having an intimate understanding of the internal workings of a system, computers and computer networks in particular.

Using this definition, calling this site "Hacker News" is not exactly accurate, but also not too far-off. I think this website is 40% "Silicon Valley & Startup" News, 40% "Hacker" News, and 20% misc.

[HenryBemis]

To add to that, even if the word "hacker" has a malicious connotation, today, the meaning of the word is closer to "the one who knows his/her stuff well and enjoys breaking them down and creating new things".

One of my favourite sites is the IKEAhackers.net (no affiliation). That site truly shows what a "hacker" does, in the furiture domain, but still, decomposing, redesigning, reusing.

Exactly like the RFC 1392 (aka "Internet Users' Glossary") as you mention. There is a distinction to the word "cracker" which shows malicious intent (what our dear friends on EF + NSA are doing).

This piece of news should also be a reminder to ALL, that these agencies that "protect" us (irrespective of flag) cannot and should not be trusted with/for anything. Especially not with the truth.

[kimjongtrill]

Lol petition to stop naming anything because eventually all labels become bad. /s

[arminiusreturns]

I guess I did forget my /s. All in good jest, and like a good jest, perhaps a modicum of truth is there.

[drdeca]

we should made labels by hashing publicly registered semi-precise definitions, and maybe add markers to indicate how closely what we mean fits said registered definition of the label.

(I don't actually think this is what people should do, but I do think it might be a cool expirament.)

[pera]

didn't pg name this place "Startup News" before changing it to "Hacker News" just because hacker sounds cooler?

[tomp]

Your comment implies that working for military/intelligence is automatically immoral. Nothing could be further from the truth. Believing that freedom is "free" is highly delusional. This civilization that we have, and enjoy, almost entirely depends on having more, better, bigger guns than the "bad guys" (in fact, having more, better, bigger guns is the best way to ensure you don't have to use them).

What you do with the guns is a different issue, but there's clearly many nations worldwide that focus on defense but not offense (maybe not US, but probably Switzerland).

[james1071]

it is revenge of the nerds sniff of power and the bullied become the bullies