this post was submitted on 07 Sep 2023
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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).
Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.
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"hacking" ಠ_ಠ you mean tinkering.
I realize this is a lost battle at this point, but I hate how the media hijacked "hacking" as a catch all for malicious purposes and crime. Hackers built Unix and the Internet. Hackers hack together solutions with the resources available to serve a purpose or solve a problem. Tinkerers play for hobby and education.
Crackers and script kiddies are responsible for ruining lives and businesses.
/rant
Depends on how the cracks and scripts are used. Tools are just tools.
Typing a command in the terminal is not hacking , just because you made a change to the system doesn't mean you "hacked it", it's basic functionality of Linux; being no different from changing a setting, it's just using an interactive user interface that's text based. Additionally, Valve doesn't put anything to block the changes; They even encourage those whom want to make these changes. There is no problem to solve.
I'm sick of people assuming Terminal = Hacking, it's a blatantly false stereotype that only serves to scare monger people into thinking the terminal is "1337 Haxers only".
Script kiddies & Crackers aren't even hackers; Hackers build their own tools; Script kiddies & Crackers are at most a customer or plagiarist.
Hacking is the practice of extending or exploiting a system to do something it wasn't originally designed to do.
This could mean modifying source code, injecting mods, exploiting a vulnerability, etc.
Contrary to popular belief this doesn't automatically make any of the examples ”malicious”, because if you're using your own property or have permission it's completely legal.
I thought hacking "originally" just meant figuring things out? ....like short for hacking away at figuring out how to do things.
Why did you quote "originally" when you're using it in a completely different context?
No, not in the context of computer hacking. if that was the definition then there'd be no difference between a "hacker" & a programmer who builds consumer applications. Finding solutions to a problem is just every programmer ever.
I used quotes because I wasn't sure if that was the real original use. (Also because I don't pay attention to or know proper grammar rules).
Ah, ok. It's just that it reads like you're quoting me.
That is not entirely correct, the definition of hacking you are using is much newer. In the past, hacking was a much more broad term, like those above you were stating.
It is still common in the open source community for people to use the original meaning of hacker. The hackers you are referring to are security hackers or crackers.
Actually the Open Source use of the term is already incapsulated in the
extendingportion of the definition I provided. Along with themodifying source codeexample.Additional example : Kernel Hacking; Linux.
You're a 3rd party extending it beyond it's original design by modifying the source code to add additional or new functionality under the legal protection of the GPL, regardless if you do or don't make a PR that gets accepted.
Actually no. The definition provided is far broader as already shown.
The key in the definition is
beyond it's original design, say for example I take source code from Grub and I extend it by adding additional functionality that allows me to play pacman directly inside it. This modification goes beyond the authors original design and doesn't just change a pre-existing feature from it's default setting like running a terminal command does.Anyway, none of this is the point.
The point is that there's a hard distinction between a Hacker and your Average Terminal User running a command in a shell interface. Shell interfaces like that of ZSH, BASH, etc. only serves as a way for the user to interact with the pre-existing features of the system.