Titles.

[ashonaut.livejournal.com]

Stepdad, I realize you're not as good with computers as you think you are. Mainly since this is 2008, and the last time you had anything resembling an advanced knowledge of computers, Windows 95 was new to the market.

However, don't tell everyone and their mother I'm a "professional hacker." You may not realize this, but that's a very sensitive word now. People hear that and assume I'm going to steal their identity, kill their kittens, turn their children into drug addicts and harm political leaders. Being able to code doesn't make you a "hacker."

Also, don't tell everyone that I'm "the next Bill Gates." No. I am not going to be a gazillionaire from doing what I do. I don't make nearly enough money to justify the stress I'm usually in, and I never will. Being able to work with computers doesn't make you automatically rich. Trust me, if it did, there'd be a lot more techs.

If you're going to brag about me, just say what I am. I'm a techie. Also see: nerd, dork, geek. You don't have to make me sound like anything bigger than that.

Comments

[jill-idle.livejournal.com]

I don't know whether or not you're a hacker. But for folks who think hackers are 'evil people', educate them. Don't let the black hats own the word.

[ashonaut.livejournal.com]

Yesss, I try to. However, I'm surrounded by.. complete morons, to be honest with you, and they always come back with, "No, no, the news said ALL HACKERS ARE EBIL!!!" After about 25 minutes, I just throw up my hands and walk away.

[preserver3.livejournal.com]

When I was young, I was a black hat. Now I'm older and I'm still a Hacker, but I look on the Black Hat stuff for just what it is. Amateurish and blind to the reality of what it's doing. I now hack pieces of code together and make it work with a little more wisdom and much less interest in stealing porn or being the biggest kid in a chat room. I make something. I wear the word with pride along with a white hat these days because fundamentally, you either do or you never, ever grow up.

As to the Bill Gates comment, when I deflected it last, I simply said, "no, I work for a living. Gates simply stole what he didn't know how to write himself." It shuts people up.

[barbituratecat.livejournal.com]

Sadly, most customers I run in to who like to call themselves 'hackers', think they are so because they can boot Windows in to safe mode. Or 'I just hacked in to my sister's Hotmail account by guessing her password'.

*headdesk*

[kostika.livejournal.com]

"Being able to work with computers doesn't make you automatically rich."

God how I wish people would realise this. I currently work with more people who got into computers for the money than those who just love computers.

[ximinez]

"Ever watch Mythbusters? Yeah, that's what hacking is."

ETA: And if they don't watch Mythbusters, they're not worth talking to anyway. ;)

[mynameisnotreal.livejournal.com]

On the rare occasion when someone bluntly asks if I am a hacker, my canned response is "The Hollywood version or the real version?"

[eyeamahuman.livejournal.com]

"Yes, I am a hacker. Do you need someone hacked? I have my hack-saw in the trunk with some plastic bags. oops, now that I told you, I have to hack you do you can't tell anyone else. Sorry."

*evil grin*

They'd probably be more confused.

[mix-hyenataur.livejournal.com]

Let's play a game...