01 Mar Hacker: The Official Definition.
Credit goes to Andy Hertzfeld, member of the original Apple Macintosh development team
–Steve Morgan, Editor-in-Chief
Sausalito, Calif. – Mar. 1, 2022
“A hacker is someone who loves programming, loves problem-solving, and especially loves coming up with new tricks they haven’t thought of before” explains Andy Hertzfeld, a member of the original Apple Macintosh computer development team.
There you have it, as far as Cybercrime Magazine is concerned, the official definition of the word hacker.
“You try to be as clever as possible,” says Hertzfeld, the software wizard who started at Apple in August 1979 as employee no. 435 and was one of the main authors of the Macintosh system software working on the core operating system and the User Interface toolbox, as well as most of the original desk accessories.
Cybercrime Radio: Who’s A Hacker
Andy Hertzfeld takes us back in time
“I always like to surprise and delight my users,” says Hertzfeld. “Put a smile on someone’s face, make their jaw drop.”
If you listen to Hertzfeld on the Cybercrime Magazine Podcast, then you’ll come away with the hacker spirit too. Members of the original Macintosh team, he told us, were proud of coming up with clever little hacks.
The word hacker has two meanings. On the dark side it refers to malintent and criminal behavior. That doesn’t bother Hertzfeld who’s too busy learning and innovating to have time for such a worry.
Apple’s Phone Hacking Card
Hertzfeld recalls meeting John Draper aka “Captain Crunch”, a phone phreaker, at a computer club in Berkeley, Calif., in 1978.
Draper was also an early Apple employee. For a time he worked on a phone hacking peripheral card that never got released. Hertzfeld worked on a follow up to it that never made it to market. Apparently Apple was concerned about liability because the “product would have been really good at phone hacking.”
Listen to Hertzfeld share more on hacking and his memories of Apple co-founders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in this episode of the Cybercrime Magazine Podcast.
– Steve Morgan is founder and Editor-in-Chief at Cybersecurity Ventures.
Go here to read all of my blogs and articles covering cybersecurity. Go here to send me story tips, feedback and suggestions.
About Andy Hertzfeld
Andy Hertzfeld started at Apple in August 1979 as Apple employee no. 435. He was one of the main authors of the Macintosh system software working on the core operating system and the User Interface toolbox, as well as most of the original desk accessories. He later went on to co-found three companies: Radius (1986), General Magic (1990) and Eazel (1999).
Hertzfeld is author of the inspiring book, “Revolution in The Valley: The Insanely Great Story of How the Mac Was Made.”
He is also the main author of the Folklore.org website with anecdotes about the development of Apple’s original Macintosh, and the people who made it.
