Does Tech Jargon Cause Confusion?
We received a couple of reader responses this week that, although they seem to address very different topics, both had to do with how important it is that we all be on the same page when it comes to the meanings of the words we use. The tech community, like other fields (e.g., medicine, law) has its own special language or “jargon.” When those words or phrases don’t mean the same thing to everyone, confusion results. The first message had to do with the use of the term “hacker.” In modern usage, it’s often used to refer to unauthorized intruders and attackers, people who gain access to others’ systems for the purpose of causing damage, virus writers and the like. Our reader reminded us that it wasn’t always so – the word “hacker” originated at MIT, and when first applied to computer users, simply referred to someone who was a talented programmer, especially one with a natural affinity for computers (i.e. without formal training). You can find a good discussion of the origin of the term
