Volume 110 >> Issue 3 : Tuesday, February 13, 1990

PDF of This Issue

GSL cancellation hack not in spirit of MIT hacking tradition

Many in the MIT community have come to my talk on the tradition of hacking at MIT. I have been researching the history of hacking for many years, and I feel I must comment on the group HA! ["Fake GSL cancellations create uproar," Feb. 9].

The members of HA! are not hackers -- A hack is harmless and good-natured. HA! obviously did not consider the consequences of their actions and caused much anguish. Their action was akin to yelling "Fire!" in a theater or telling someone that their family had just been killed in an accident.

HA! has seriously damaged the reputation of hackers. I hope that the MIT community will understand that HA! does not act in the tradition of MIT hackers.

Brian Leibowitz G