Hackers and Lawyers

[ZiNgA BuRgA]

Hackers (commoner's definition) are people who often find and exploit loopholes in computer security policies.  Considered illegal activity.
Lawyers are people who often find and exploit loopholes in the law.  Considered legal activity.

Discuss

[x-Treme]

Not much difference in the two...huh?
Either way, we're screwed

[RateU]

(07-29-2011 07:36 PM)ZiNgA BuRgA Wrote:  Hackers .....  Considered illegal activity.
Lawyers ..... Considered legal activity.

Maybe because lawyers have a specific title?

[leefish]

Maybe it is because (at least in Common Law) the loopholes that are found by lawyers become part of the law and can be referred to later, whereas computer security policies are more like Civil Law and have to be ratified before change?

[ZiNgA BuRgA]

^ Essentially how it works, but rather, "hacking" is just illegal that is unlikely to be changed.  Perception wise, hacking is often considered plainly "evil" whereas lawyers seem to be considered as more of a grey area at worst.

Just thought it was interesting at peoples' perceptions of what I consider to be similar activities in different fields.

[Toxic]

(07-29-2011 07:36 PM)ZiNgA BuRgA Wrote:  Hackers (commoner's definition) are people who often find and exploit loopholes in computer security policies.  Considered illegal activity.
Lawyers are people who often find and exploit loopholes in the law.  Considered legal activity.

Discuss

Hackers have only been associated with illegal activity due to the media and their definition displayed to the common users. I was around when this happened and felt that the true meaning of the term "hacker" has long since died off. If the current media displayed such hate and discrimination to lawyers as they did to hackers then it would be the exact same in today's society.

I just hope that one day hackers can once again state that they are a hacker and be proud of it in today's social society.

(Was surfing the net and found this, I'm a hacker).

[ZiNgA BuRgA]

The media certainly have a role in this - I agree.

I have a feeling this is somewhat also related to complexity.  Most people probably won't understand the technicalities of either, but hackers are often related to robbers or similar who break into premises without owners' permissions, thus easy for the masses to understand the consequences.  However, explaining loopholes in law is perhaps a more foreign concept that doesn't quite easily translate to something people understand.

I dunno, that's what I think.

[Jack345]

Hackers: A malicious meddler who tries to discover sensitive information by poking around. Hence 'password hacker', 'network hacker'. The correct term for this sense is cracker.
Lawyers: Person who represents people in a court or advises them on legal matters; attorney; barrister.
Four things that Lawyers and Hackers Have in Common: Rules, Code, Language, Community.

[Glas]

(07-29-2011 07:36 PM)ZiNgA BuRgA Wrote:  Hackers (commoner's definition) are people who often find and exploit loopholes in computer security policies.  Considered illegal activity.
Lawyers are people who often find and exploit loopholes in the law.  Considered legal activity.

Discuss

Quoted for truth