From owner-freebsd-hackers Wed Jul 5 02:32:33 1995 Return-Path: hackers-owner Received: (from majordom@localhost) by freefall.cdrom.com (8.6.10/8.6.6) id CAA13823 for hackers-outgoing; Wed, 5 Jul 1995 02:32:33 -0700 Received: from eikon.regent.e-technik.tu-muenchen.de (root@eikon.regent.e-technik.tu-muenchen.de [129.187.42.3]) by freefall.cdrom.com (8.6.10/8.6.6) with SMTP id CAA13817 for ; Wed, 5 Jul 1995 02:32:26 -0700 Received: from vector.eikon.e-technik.tu-muenchen.de ([129.187.142.36]) by eikon.regent.e-technik.tu-muenchen.de with SMTP id <55304>; Wed, 5 Jul 1995 11:32:04 +0200 Received: (from jhs@localhost) by vector.eikon.e-technik.tu-muenchen.de (8.6.11/8.6.9) id KAA00763 for hackers@freebsd.org; Wed, 5 Jul 1995 10:42:45 +0200 Date: Wed, 5 Jul 1995 10:42:45 +0200 From: Julian Howard Stacey Message-Id: <199507050842.KAA00763@vector.eikon.e-technik.tu-muenchen.de> To: hackers@freebsd.org Subject: Proposal to change name of this list to a less embarrassing one Sender: hackers-owner@freebsd.org Precedence: bulk I propose we change the list name `hackers' to [ Suggestions Please ]. The world of journalists & bosses & general public has made up its mind a hacker is anti-social, the name thus harms FreeBSD's image. It's hard enough to persuade bosses and friends to use FreeBSD, rather than something commercial, it's harder still when one must tell the `Suits': "Your administrator should subscribe to a list called `hackers'" The difference between a `hacker' & a `cracker' is something no one but us & other techno-freaks knows or cares about. We are too few to have a hope of educating the world's press. The word `hacker' has been hijacked & had its meaning changed, we should respond accordingly. ( Most people old enough to have had the habit, have long since given up saying "I'm gay" when merely joyful & happy, as that word too has changed its meaning; similarly `nice' once meant `exact' but no longer does.) Words change, `hackers' attracts negative publicity. Let's change it. The new name should be `future proof' & non-repelant to individual programmers working in their leisure time, to commercial firms & governmental users. Perhaps something like forum@freebsd.org ? (just an example, the important thing is to expire `hackers'). For the people with CD-ROMs that refer to hackers@ we could retain an /etc/aliases entry on freebsd.org for a year or so. Changing the name of `hackers@freebsd.org' won't happen without public support, would those in favour please respond publicly, (no point mailing me privately). Thanks. Julian S