Re: What is a "hack"?

[jon@bway.net (Jon Gordon)]

In article <7acnmh$s4o@post.gsfc.nasa.gov>,
Geraldine.A.Wright.1@gsfc.nasa.gov (Geraldine Wright) wrote:

> I don't mean to sound stupid, but...
> 
> At one time I thought a hack was an attempt to illegally access a computer 
> network which you were not authorized to be on. Now I see it used to 
> describe software, but I'm not quite sure what is wrong with the software 
> that it's used to describe.

As originally used in the computer field, the words "hack," "hacker," and
"hacking" had nothing to do with breaking into other people's computers or
illegally accessing information.  Many people still get upset when these
words are used in the modern sense.  I sometimes am one of those people,
but I'm usually tired of expecting anything better.