Proper Terms

[HumanBeing25 299]

Too many people, especially kids, are using the term 'hacking' to denote something that is irrelevant to the meaning of this term.

Hacking is a term made popular in the late 90s by individuals who would crack algorithms (hence the meaning of 'cracking') to bypass security measures (encryptions), to gain unauthorized access to clients and, or servers, remotely.

Hacking does not mean to modify a program's internal code, resources, or memory, nor to cheat, to annoy, to pose a threat, or alike.

Hacking is a term solely coined, in relation to computers, by individuals who break security between two platforms. Nothing more, nothing less.

The reason hacking has received this new, incorrect and incoherent meaning, is because of children who, in early days of the Internet, reading about server and client security misunderstood the meaning of hacking.

The kids, also referred to as script kiddies, thought of modifying a client as actually modifying the servers that communicate with the client. This misunderstanding created the meaning to hacking in relation to games.

The sentence, "Peter hacked the game" is incoherent. A sentence cannot contain words with multiple suitable meanings - the sentence cannot be interpreted correctly if this is the case, unless provided a prior sentence or a preceding sentence or class of information which would clarify which interpretation would be correct.

It could be taken to mean, as should be, that Peter obtained access to game servers and modified remote servers.

Or it could be taken to mean, as it should not be, that Peter modified client code for the game, created cheating programs that would read, change or stall a memory function or value.

The other and very faraway meaning to hacking, exactly as to hack in a piece of meat or wood with a sharp object, cannot be confused into this sentence because the very meaning of game is something abstract, therefore immaterial, unchanging and so on.

If you are desperate to tell an administrator that a player has made you extremely irritated or sad, then tell the administrator that the player has a modified (or modded) client, and should be banned because of that.

The more you know.

[Rage VG 4033]

Tomayto, Tomahto. The very existence of any word is to convey a message/meaning to another being. When someone says to me "Oh, this guy is hacking" I know it means that someone is using scripts. I can understand his message, so there's little to no reason for me to care how he says it. He could say "SHERP FLERB DE WERPWERP?!" for all it matters, as long as his message is understood, then the words have served their purpose.

[Pokey (DayZ) 103]

Wow. What a complete waste of time.

[willey.erd@oundleschool.org.uk 506]

A bit pedantic, don't you think?

I mean, you're right and all, but, how do I put this nicely...

No-one cares?

Edited March 4, 2013 by Ingasmeeg

[OrLoK 16187]

Hello there

A little harsh at OP methinks, but the general consensus is correct.

No mater the term used, as long as folk know what we mean then it then becomes correct over time.

Look at nut allergies, none of the things that trigger nut allergies are actually classed as nuts (even though they may have the word "nut" in their english name).

But for example because peanuts to most folk are nuts rather than legumes then by any reasonable standard they are nuts.

Other examples are "Tannoy", "Xerox" and "Hoover" where the brand name has become the name of the thing.

I understand OP's point, but those details, whilst historically interesting don't have the same values when applied to regular forum chat.

Rgds

LoK

[tiresomehoopla 37]

Words change meanings or gain new meanings sometimes bud.

"Gay" used to only mean happy.

[facet 66]

I see difference in cheating and hacking. Cheater is just cheater. Mostly stupid and skillless troll using ready programs to cheat. Hacker is much more and I agree.

[svisketyggeren 662]

Words change meanings or gain new meanings sometimes bud.

"Gay" used to only mean happy.

so oldschool gays are more happy?

[Rage VG 4033]

so oldschool gays are more happy?

No, oldschool gays are Homosexuals.

[OrLoK 16187]

Hello there

All homosexuals are ...well, homosexual, no matter the title :)

Gay still means happy btw.

But let's not get caught up in this nest of gay vipers and move on shall we?

Rgds

LoK

[Fraggle (DayZ) 15720]

Synonyms FTW!

[Rage VG 4033]

Hello there

All homosexuals are ...well, homosexual, no matter the title :)

Gay still means happy btw.

But let's not get caught up in this nest of gay vipers and move on shall we?

Rgds

LoK

But they're not referred to as Homosexuals nowadays, they're referred to as Gays. If you saw a man today, you'd refer to him as "Dude" or "Mate" or simply "Man", when back in the day it was "Gentleman", and although that's fallen out of use recently, It still retains its meaning.

You could say "But Gay didn't mean that before!" and I could simply quote my first post here and it would answer it again.

Personally, I feel this little tangent of the meaning behind the word gay fits in fine with the topic. After all, we are discussing the meaning behind words, and how they change. Still, your word's final.

P.S: I lol'd at "gay viper nest"

Edited March 4, 2013 by Rage VG

[SmashT 10907]

Meanings change. We can argue semantics, but in the video game "world" the term has come to be associated with being a cheater.

Edited March 4, 2013 by smasht_AU

[BwobBwub 660]

You made a forum account to post this? Wow.

[svisketyggeren 662]

But they're not referred to as Homosexuals nowadays, they're referred to as Gays. If you saw a man today, you'd refer to him as "Dude" or "Mate" or simply "Man", when back in the day it was "Gentleman", and although that's fallen out of use recently, It still retains its meaning.

You could say "But Gay didn't mean that before!" and I could simply quote my first post here and it would answer it again.

Personally, I feel this little tangent of the meaning behind the word gay fits in fine with the topic. After all, we are discussing the meaning behind words, and how they change. Still, your word's final.

P.S: I lol'd at "gay viper nest"

whats the difference between a homosexual hacker and a gay script kiddie?

[Rage VG 4033]

whats the difference between a homosexual hacker and a gay script kiddie?

Hmm.

Give me a hint.

[svisketyggeren 662]

Hmm.

Give me a hint.

yes

[Rage VG 4033]

yes

Victory?

[Goggalor 191]

The sentence, "Peter hacked the game" is incoherent. A sentence cannot contain words with multiple suitable meanings - the sentence cannot be interpreted correctly if this is the case, unless provided a prior sentence or a preceding sentence or class of information which would clarify which interpretation would be correct.

It could be taken to mean, as should be, that Peter obtained access to game servers and modified remote servers.

Or it could be taken to mean, as it should not be, that Peter modified client code for the game, created cheating programs that would read, change or stall a memory function or value.

The other and very faraway meaning to hacking, exactly as to hack in a piece of meat or wood with a sharp object, cannot be confused into this sentence because the very meaning of game is something abstract, therefore immaterial, unchanging and so on.

Applying the last definition to your sentence makes complete sense. Give me a hatchet and an ARMA II disc and I'll prove it to you.