The Hacker Era Is Over

[TechJumper]

There are members of this forum, I'm sure, that remember a day when "Hacking" a computer did not refer to the indended destruction of files, or the stealing of software, but just messing around with an emerging technology. 2 decades ago, hacking was just about the only thing you could do with a computer, if you were a normal person like you and me.

I feel that the era of hacking is over.

I often attend chats on servers full of people who claim they "tweak" their computers, and love to pull stuff in and out of them, try a new hdd, memory stick, etc... The thing I fear is, the technology of a computer will soon be SO advanced, that we, as "hacker" users CAN'T tweak them anymore without having an engineering degree!!!!

Computers will soon be self contained 1 piece systems, a highly advanced, and highly OLD technology.

What will we do with our time?
What is the next KILLER app? (first it was phones, now computers...)

And, will we be able to "hack" that killer app?

Ya see, there is almost an innocent security in undeveloped emerging technology...

Michael

[JacobM5727]

alot of hackers these days work for the government and stuff.. i hope pcs dont become one piece units, that would take the fun out of looking for what you didnt put in right

[RobRich]

Don't believe this new age of PC=oriented integrated devices will deter the hardcore community of hackers. Such as Palms being overclocked for better performance and Windows CE being decompiled to add more options.

If the hardware or software exists, regardless of its form, then then there will always be someone that wants an extra option or better performance.

Robert Richmond

[justy]

Tech,

this was the same fear felt years ago. When home P.C.'s first became a marketable item, I was repairing, installing, upgrading them. Back then an upgrade may have been 8 or 16 256k ram chips. We used to repair to component level, one of the few places that could.

With the advent of modern P.C.'s and VLSI I.C.'s the replacing of I.C.'s involved hot air. Most of the then, repair doods got so scared. P.C.'s were getting cheaper to replace than to repair. ( Components + labour versus replacement ). We could still do it, it just wasn't cost effective. I was one of them. Future job security was a threat. Alot of us left. In my case it was kind of inevitable, because my current career was what I had always wanted anyway.

The remainder are still there, still working, but at a different, higher level. The technology has changed, but the tweaking/enhancing it hasn't. Its up to you to develop that.

Just my thoughts, Justy.

[Beemer]

I'm just enjoying reading about "hackers" in the traditional and true sence for a change. HollyWood hasn't done the name any justice at all.

I actually heard on a movie the other night the term "cracker" and it was refering to a person breaking into a computer! I almost fell off my chair! They finally got it right!

This is old to some here on sysopt but might give some insight to the newbie.
http://hacker.beemerworld.com

Cheers!

[This message has been edited by Beemer (edited 07-26-2001).]

[smokin1]

I will agree with the statement at the start of this string only to the point that the old days are dead and gone. There are still new and better ways to "explore", and I believe there always will be. No technology has all the answers from the get go..it needs to be probed and improved upon. And with every new idea and implementation there becomes a new window of learning...

[club_med]

Dont believe everything you read is the only advice i have.

cm.

[Gibbo]

If M$ is part of the future, I'm sure those days will never die http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif