Reading 02: Game Hackers

In the previous generation of hackers (the “true” hackers and the hardware hackers), the hackers cared more about their craft. They loved to explore the computer for exploring’s sake. Hardware hackers and game hackers are similar in that this is not their only goal. Even though a nice side effect was money making, hardware hackers cared more about the spread of computers to others to explore. Game hackers on the other hand changed in that their real goal is to make money not to explore for exploration’s sake. In the book, they say that Ken Williams initially thought that Roberta’s plan to make a game was “very nice and she should run along and finish it. No one really wanted to use a personal computer as a game machine” (307). However, he changes his mind later because “Ken Williams could usually smell some money to be made” (307). It’s pretty clear that the world of computer programmers will never be the same with the rise of computers and software on the modern marketplace. I allude to this in my previous blog post, but we have come to a world where software companies could care less about trying to make the best thing possible by working together. They would rather just make as much money as possible.

To me, something that I think is pretty interesting is that I don’t think I’ve ever met a single person who started in software solely because there’s a lot of money in computer software. I think most people have a “hacker phase” in their computer career. They will explore because they’re curious. Even these video game hackers like Ken Williams whose primary goal was to make good money likely did have a love for computers themselves and a desire to explore. “By then something else was changing: his relationship with the Dumb Beast. When Ken had time, he would often pull out some of those dense, cheaply printed looseleaf manuals, trying to figure out what made the big Burroughs or IBM or Control Data machine really tick. As he gained proficiency in his profession, he began to respect it more; see how it could approach art” (297–298). However, a lot of people nowadays just don’t have the passion that the true hackers and hardware hackers did for computers. Like a lot of people, video games were the reason I wanted to get into computers. My dream was to make video games. I would be lying if I said I didn’t love computers and learning about computers. However, I would also be lying if I said that my passion and desire to explore is the same as it used to be. I do still enjoy computers, but I think the reality is that I don’t get the same thrill out of exploring what I can do anymore. Now, I think I am what he calls the “professional engineer” as I see computer science now as a job and a way to make money. I kind of hope this will change and that I will eventually do what I do because I really love it for what it is.

I feel like the Hacker Ethic could survive in a commercial and proprietary world, but I do not think it will thrive. I think that it’s great that there are people who can maintain that hacker ethic. Unfortunately, the hacker ethic is rooted in passion for computers, but nowadays, most people have a passion for money not computers.