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Hackers Are People Too!

Hackers Are People Too was released at Defcon 16. It was awesome to watch it with 8000 of my closest friends. Http://hackersarepeopletoo.com has your sneak peak. Support Wynn's daughter.

UCoD at Phreaknic 12

Okay, who's coming with me? www.phreaknic.info/pn12/ Preregistration is now open. Volunteers are needed. T-shirts will go onsale at the first break on Friday. I hope to see you there.

UCoD at Defcon 16

Just wanted to remind you folks that time is running out. Defcon 16 is now only a couple weeks away. If you haven't booked your room at the Riv, too late. It is all sold out. If you haven't booked your flight, the cost is raising daily. I look forward to seeing you all there.

UCoD at Defcon 15

Here's a video of the UCoD crew at this year's Defcon 15. We also have a gallery of pics from the event.

Introducing the Hacker Ethic

The word 'hacker' originated in the computer labs of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the late 1950s amongst a group of programmers who believed that "all information should be free" and that "access to computers... should be unlimited and total" (Levy, 2001, p.40). Hackers now define themselves as "an expert or enthusiast of any kind. One might be an astronomy hacker, for example" ( Raymond, 2003). One could work in a 'hackerish' way in any field of endeavour where universal access to, and sharing of, the tools of your trade would be positive and viable. Decades later the media began to apply the term to criminals using computers, who hackers began to call 'crackers' (Raymond, 2003). ²

Pekka Himanen wrote the first major study of the hackers' attitude from a philosophical perspective, establishing a 'Hacker Ethic' with seven key characteristics: passion, freedom, their work ethic, their money ethic, their network ethic, caring and creativity ( Himanen, 2001, p.141). Broadly speaking the Hacker Ethic suggests (a) the importance of a particular kind of work, namely the kind that hackers can be passionate about, that isn't motivated by money, and that is playful (b) a particular approach to working, which allows an individual rhythm of life and yet also places the community and cooperation at the centre, and (c) a particular approach to building productive communities, involving equal and unfettered access to information and tools facilitated by open sharing. Utopian though it sounds, it is important to recognise that the hackers who subscribe to this ethic have built much of the infrastructure of today's information society ³.

*taken from Tom Chance's Dissertation on the Hacker Ethic and Meaningful Work