What's wrong with sirius-optics

[lacad01 (Adam)]

Originally Posted by troypiggo

Google "white hat hackers" and "black hat hackers". "Hacker" is a general term that encompasses those with good and bad intentions. To throw them all in the same bag is unfair. Some hackers should be seen as the criminals, while others should be seen as the good guys.

Can't think of a perfect analogy at the moment, but something like locksmiths. Some who know how to break into a safe or pick locks help you get into your home when you're locked out, or safe when you've lost the combinations, some work in security, while others might use their knowledge to break into safes and steal. To say that all locksmiths are thieves is not correct and not fair on the majority of them.

I admire the work these "white hat" hackers (for want of a better word) do in order to test systems legitimately in order to bring about improvement. It's the "crackers", script-kiddies or whatever you want to call them who break in and either steal, damage or vandalize other people's property which I can't stand.

[troypiggo (Troy)]

Absolutely, and no arguments here. Just that the term has, IMO, been a bit misused/generalised here.

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

In my daily life I use two terms:

1) "Hacker" - someone who (usually) graciously unlocks, as Adam states, and can enter.

2) "Cracker" - someone who doesn't give a hoot about any collateral damage on their way in.

[Stardrifter_WA]

According to one dictionary a hacker is defined as "A person who uses computers to gain unauthorized access to data." And isn't this the type of hacker we are talking about.

"Unauthorised" access is criminal and therefore anyone who condones such action should be condemned or they are simply misguided. Or is the "folk hero" complex all over again, after all, Ned Kelly was supposed to be a hero, and they hanged him.

Well, that is my final thoughts for the year. So, have a Merry Christmas everyone and may 2012 be good for you all.

[engavo (Avedis)]

I have been watching this thread for a while and it is fascinating to see how a little comment i made changed the discussion subject so much.

I am surprised by how much controversy is there about "hackers", all the definitions that make little sense.
when i originally said that I usually salute hackers, the hackers i had in mind were people like Anonymous, and Lucsuz and similar groups, who actually campaign for freedom of information and the internet, as for people who cause damage just for fun, i think they are just smart idiots no more.

[brian nordstrom (As avatar)]

Same thing might be happening to Cloudy Nights , Ive been having trouble following threads using my yahoo favorites ?
Brian.

Originally Posted by cybereye

I found I had to Shift-Refresh my browser before I got the Sirius Optics site back from the AFL. All good now!

Mario