hackers - - the creative ones?

In a dark room, dim computer monitor fills space. Heavy glasses on a young guy reflects the screen of what he is working on. His eyes are constantly moving watching a screen full of a lot of windows with secret codes. Fingers moving nervously, creating rhythmic sound of keyboard typing. He just broke into Microsoft's developement department data base. He copies all confidential documents into a small USB. Soon, he heads out and exchange his USB with a suitcase from men in black in the alley. This is what I have imagined when I thought about "hackers."

As the computer technology develop, the fear of hackers grew especially in pop culture. For example, Lyle, played by Seth Green, in the Italian Job (2003) is a hacker who hacks into Los Angela's traffic light system and creates the biggest traffic jam in order to help his crew steal the money back. Also new Live Free or Die Hard (2007) is about John McClane fighting against internet-based terrorists/hackers who threatens the government. Media only portrays only the dark, stealing or illegal activities of hackers. I also thought hackers were bad guys because of the movies I saw. Actually, this wasn't true.

Starting from John Draper's Phone Phreaking, hacking is about expanding the limit, recreating somthing  other people didn't see especially on new technology field. Phone Phrekers would tune into specific frequencies or with the Blue Boxes, another type of Phone Phrekings, they would call internationally and listen to random foreign voicemails or call anyone for free. It could be wrong......but they were just doing it for fun! Fun!

Like Dadaists or Fluxus artists, hackers are the same: they want to break the traditional values and create new things that nobody had never thought of but in a specific compuer/telecommunication field. Hackers would look like computer nerds but I got to consider them as another group of artists. Just with different medium and ways of doing it. The idea, the idea is no different from my artistic goals.  I want to create something that's eyes wide-opending and new perspectives. Anybody can be artists, including the hackers.

Nevertheless, media likes to overexaggerate facts. Hacking is one of the victims. Hackers, such as the legendary Kevin Mitnik who got sentenced for around six years because of his many, many illegal hacking activities were the hot issues that news only talked about.

Either way, the pure idea of hacking is no differnt from Duchamp's Ready-made objects. Finding new and creative ways in computer, internet, and networking should be welcomed by the society. It's just few people with evil minds are the problems! Afterall, Mitnik is now a CEO of Mitnik Security Consulting that actually helps small or big corporates to protect themselves from getting hacked. I think he is a good guy now.


Hacking -- -
I want to be a hacker, too, the good ones!