Why Linux is mistaken to be the Hacker OS
Why Linux is mistaken to be the Hacker OS
Mb0742 | 14597 Reads | Since Linux was born it has been adapted by many, many users. One of the best features is that it can be transformed to work with nearly anything: Linux ipods, consoles running linux, PDAs and every pc that can be built. Like many of us: If we were to require a hacker and we got two different applications, one being either mac/windows user the other using linux who would you choose to question first? Odds are we would probably choose to interview the Linux guy / gal first. So why is this become the norm? It's because of the command line in Linux, the feature to change a setting on the fly or run a few commands to get something custom done is so easy and so well integrated. Depending on which Distro you use the 'terminal' or 'Konsole' is a direct feed or door into the inter-workings of the operating system. As you can imagine this usually involves at lot of text and commands. So then it's too bad that the mainstream media such as news, movies, and those cheapo tv series: make hackers to be older people sitting in front of a monitor with line after line of scary looking code scrolling down the screen.
To nearly anyone who has seen such a media product, watching a Linux user do a simple task; would seem like hardcore xXx hacking and they would right away think the worst about what you are doing. Hacking has become a thing in society, almost an accepted fact, every person you see may not be able to hack but they would have an honest idea of how to use a computer and technology. So is this an issue, a problem? Not really everyone considers Windows to be a gaming / work horse will mac is commonly known as the media system with photoshop and final cut pro etc. However if you are stuck in front of a jury for hacking offenses and they see a mac it would look ok, if they saw a Windows pc, nearly everyone in the room would think of it as a harmless thing but if they were to stick Linux in front of them with the 'scary' lines of doom then that would get them talking. The problem is that Linux has no pushers, no ads, no billboards, stickers, promotions or a home. Linux is everyone that uses it and is up to them to create the software they need and redistribute it. Soon a lot of tools are combined and the core is launched again with a few more tools and bells added onto it.
IF LINUX had a backer it could be shown as harmless and not shown as a weapon. Parody remakes of the mac ads show Linux up staging the two systems- pc and mac but people seeing that (if you have ever read the comments on youtube (I don't recommend it though)), the angry fans of mac or Pc claim that only nerds need apply for Linux. And the Linux crowd come jumping back with oh yeah we have open source and everything is free (which mind you is stupid because with torrent sites EVERYTHING is free) we also have a fully functioning os which we can do anything with, without getting fined. And that's true Linux is 'sofware libre' and may be given out to as many people as you want.
So after this all this: what can we do? Well there is a lot we can do as a team not a lot we can do as an individual- as a group we must show off the Linux os for it's features, speak calmly to people who hate it and not give into their abuse or flaming. It is our job to spread the word about Linux as a open two way OS for everyone to enjoy and add a little piece of yourself into the project. Hopefully people you have strong thoughts against *nix in general read this and understand that yes, Linux can be used as a weapon; but can't mac or windows?
Hope you enjoyed the read.
ghost 16 years ago
Paragraph 1: Since when do mainstream movies portray hackers as older people? I wasn't aware that the highschool kids in the movie, "Hackers," or the guy in swordfish, or fuck, even Die Hard 4 were much older people. And…the idea of the mainstream hacker IS a coder/scripter, which it should be because it's only right. What, do you feel hackers are people that can run commands from a terminal?!
Paragraph 2: What the fuck? Since when do juries judge people based on operating system. You see, i kind of thought it was the crime they commited. Oh, so he stole millions from a couple banks, but he's on Windows, so they see it as harmless? And, honestly, the people who see me do commands from my terminal are more interested in what it did than to think that I'm up to something malicious.
Paragraph 3: Everything is free is a mentality, not really a money issue. Sure, you can torrent most programs, but it's not the idea of those coders giving out their product and not asking the user to pay. Also, open source means that the code is released and usually anyone can hop in and give comments, feedback, and write something for it if they really wanted to. I also am appaled by your "EVERYTHING," you know that's not true. You'll have a hard time finding some shitty little network monitor that you used back on Windows 98, yet still have to pay a licence for.
Paragraph 4: I don't mind the conclusion paragraph to be honest.
I'm sorry, but when i read this article, i had to login and post. It's such a rediculous article full of misinformation and false accusations.
ghost 16 years ago
No, I didn't enjoy the read you fuckstick, this is the worst thing I've ever seen in my entire life. All you do is repeat common stereotypes of the only operating systems that you know and drop jargon incorrectly to try to improve the quality of your shitty facts with shitty backup. Windows has a terminal too, you know. Apple's "terminal" IS a UNIX shell. Have you even used linux before? Have you ever heard of Solaris? BSD? Any other FOSS based OS? No? You are NARROW minded and UN-educated in this article, and it prevents you from making a valid point about advocacy for linux. Are people going to tweak the fuck out when they encounter something new and unfamiliar? Of COURSE they are, so just fucking deal with it in a mature manner instead of spewing all this garbage at them that they won't understand, and, most importantly, that they DON'T CARE ABOUT. People use an OS because they want to, not because one of them is more SOUPER LEET HAXXOR LOLOLOL then the other. Some of the most knowledgeable people in reverse engineering/low-level security choose WINDOWS as their OS of choice because it's a fucking playground. So, in short, try to know about what you're fucking talking about next time. Fuck.
Uber0n 16 years ago
I get your point and I agree about some of the stuff you wrote. However Linux is more powerful for some things, it's not just a fairy tale :p
korg 16 years ago
Don't like it, Too many stereotypes going on here. Won't waste time Flaming. Still looking for that delete shitty article button. Sorry pal.
mido 16 years ago
Bad, I totally disagree. Linux (UNIX) was made by/for hackers. And no, "can't mac or windows". Have you ever used UNIX dude?
regret 16 years ago
I think what you are describing is the path that Ubuntu and Knoppix have taken in trying to draw "non-nerd" crowds to the linux community, but changes in your distro (or even the philosophy of free/open source software) will never change the fact that Windows/Mac still own the marketshare in the personal computing world.
The fact of the matter is that Windows is sold on damn near every PC you can purchase in store, Windows is taught exclusively in the majority of public schools, and consumers are left with no other option than to take the path of least resistance for them in their own computing uses.
I get into this argument all the time…the only way you, as an individual, can affect trends in operating system usage is to play an active role. You want kids to start using linux over windows? Go to your local high school and volunteer your time to teach kids the use of linux. This has worked for me many times in the past, especially when you can bring up the argument of 'trade-training' in the upper levels of high school. Much of the internet's substructure is still Unix/Linux, most school staff will agree that the children are not getting a fair shake if you bring that fact up. And the fact that you will be teaching without a fee is only icing on the cake, after all…open-source philosophy does not only equate to code. Education, as with software, should be free and freely given to the community.
But aside from that, if you're looking at the basis of your statement from the point of view as a true hacker, then yes, Linux is a HACKER's operating sytem. But if you're looking at the word 'hacker' from the perspective of many people (even within HBH and other like sites) where hacker means cracking SQL databases and cookie poision…then no, linux is not made for that kind of hacker. You are right that most major media outlets do not make a distinction between the definitions of 'hacker' like the majority of us do, but the major point where you went wrong with this article is that you, THE AUTHOR, did not make the distinction. And you should know better…
02nwood 16 years ago
I don't have windows whatsoever. I have 3 HDD's and have forced my brother to use it. He loves it with compiz-fusion. I see no need for windows, yeah games but… Why use a PC for gaming. I just use my ps3 and stream my PC games to it.
ghost 16 years ago
this is absolute ridicule…. I'd suggest this article being deleted because it's only poisoning those who don't know and who will read this….
ghost 16 years ago
I agree, the article is crap. If you wanted to make a distinction between Linux users vs. Windows/Mac users, I think it would've been much more fair to say that Linux users tend to be more computer-savvy than others. However, that doesn't make them all "hackers" or anything of the sort. They're just willing to learn something different from the mainstream crap.
:love:Linux:love:
ghost 16 years ago
I wouldn't say it's complete crap. If you were to check out sites like www.adequacy.org (wich is thank god no longer maintained), you'd see that a lot of people really do consider Linux (or Lunix as they keep calling it :right:) an evil haxxor OS and think that anyone who uses it is evil and should be put away. Some people are so ignorant yet believe they know eveything…
ghost 15 years ago
@Tosser: OMFG, i cant barely believe it. "Lunix is extremely dangerous software" come on! And it says "Adequacy.org - News for Grown-ups", lol, more for retards if you think Linux is dangerous and "hacker programs, such as "telnet", which is used by hackers to connect to machines" thats just crap, telnet was ordinary made for a user to connect a god damn machine, not necessarily break it, just because you are able to do it. Linux is open-source, we have all rights to look and edit the source, we may know anything about the OS, unlike Windows. Human knowledge belongs to the world!