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+--- Thread: What you are referring to as "hacking"... (/Thread-What-you-are-referring-to-as-hacking)
What you are referring to as "hacking"... - qvikc - 09-23-2012
...is actually cracking.
Cracker - This is the common term used to describe a malicious hacker. Crackers get into all kinds of mischief, including breaking or "cracking" copy protection on software programs, breaking into systems and causing harm, changing data, or stealing. Hackers regard crackers as a less educated group of individuals that cannot truly create their own work, and simply steal other people's work to cause mischief, or for personal gain.
Hacker - This is someone that seeks to understand computer, phone or other systems strictly for the satisfaction of having that knowledge. Hackers wonder how things work, and have an incredible curiosity. Hackers will sometimes do questionable legal things, such as breaking into systems, but they generally will not cause harm once they break in. Contrast a hacker to the term cracker.
RE: What you are referring to as "hacking"... - Dismas - 09-23-2012
Some would argue it is still hacking, and that cracking is a division of hacking. The definition is widely debated.
Some people would even argue that hacking is stealing credit cards or accounts on a computer. It's the same.
Some people would say that it's people who can code or develop applications. Once again, another definition.
There will never be one specific definition, as I have, and always will tell people.