Eric S. Raymond 5th HOW To Become a Hacker
How to become a hacker
Copyright © 2001 by Eric S. Raymond
Translation: Barret
The translation level is limited, welcome to the letter, my email is barret (a) ynmail.com, but please do not ask computer technical issues (no need to understand anyway). It is allowed to carry out non-commercial purposes without the discrimination of the author and the translator, but the integrity of the original text must be maintained.
Content list
Why have this document?
What is hacker?
Hacker should have an attitude
Basic skills of hackers
Status of hacker culture
Hackers and Nerd (Nerd)
Significance
Other resources
FAQ (often questionable questions)
Why have this document?
As the author of Jargon File and some other famous similar nature articles, I often receive a warm online newbie email question (really) "How can I become an excellent hacker?" It's very strange to don't seem Any document in FAQ or web forms to illustrate this very important issue, so I wrote a copy.
If you read the offline copy of this document now, please pay attention to the current latest version (English) at http://www.tuxedo.org/~esr/faqs/hacker-howto.html can be obtained.
Note: In this document, there is a FAQ (Some questionable question solution). Please read it twice before any questions about this document.
There are many translations in this document: Bulgarian, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Hungarian, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Swedish. Note Because this document has a correction, the above translation version may have a varying degree of outdictions.
What is hacker?
Jargon file contains a lot of definitions about the word "Hacker", mostly related to technology superior and kernel solutions and beyond limits. But if you just want to know how to become a hacker, then only two things are indeed related.
This can be traced back to a few decades ago, and the Arpanet experiment has just launched, then there is a cultural community that is composed of programming experts and network celebrities and sharing features. Members of this culture have created "Hacker" nouns. The hackers have built an Internet. The hacker invented the Unix operating system now used. The hackers make Usenet, and the hackers make WWW running. If you are part of this culture, if you have contributed to this culture, and other members of this community also know you and call you Hacker, then you are a hacker.
The hacker is not limited to the hacker culture of the software. Some people treat other things with hackers, such as electronics and music - in fact, you can find it in any of the highest level of science and art activities. Hackers with software appreciate these similar areas in other fields and also call them hackers - some people claim that hacker nature is absolutely independent of their work. But in this document, we focus on the technology and attitude of software hackers, and invented the word "hacker" and the cultural tradition characterized by sharing.
There is a group of people whispers to be hackers, but they are not. They (mainly positive youthful teenagers) are some people who deliberately destroy computer and telephone systems. The real hacker is called these people "Cracker" and disdainful. Most real hackers think that hackers are lazy and irresponsible, have nothing big. The behavior dedicated to destroying others is not a hacker, just like stealing a car with wire and can't make you a car engineer. Unfortunately, many reporters and writers often mistakenly regard "hackers" as a hacker; this approach has always been annoyed by real hackers. The fundamental difference is: hackers engage in construction, hacker is destroyed.
If you want to be a hacker, please read it. If you want to be a hacker, read the Alt.2600 newsgroup, and realize that you are not as smart like you think, take a five to ten prisons. I just want to say so much about hackers.
Hacker should have an attitude
The hackers solve the problem, building things, while they advocate freedom and selfless bidirectional help. To be admitted to others, it is a hacker. Your behavior has to reflect that you seem to have this attitude. And if you want to do it, you have this attitude, you have to consolidate it.
But if you think that cultivating a hacker attitude is just a way to get a recognition in the hacker cultural circle, it is wrong. This kind of person who has these qualities is very important to you - help you learn, and give you a continuous driving force. Like all creative art, the most effective way to become master is to imitate the spirit of the master - not only from intelligence, but also to imitate from emotions.
Perhaps, this modern Zen poem is very good to explain this:
To Follow The Path: (along this road :) Look to the master, (Looking for Master,) Follow The Master, (Follow Master,) Walk with the master, (with master,) See Through the master, (Insight) Master,) Become The Master. (Become a master.)
Well, if you want to be a hacker, read the things below until you believe in them:
1. The world is full of charming problems to be solved.
There is a lot of fun, but it is a pleasure to get a lot of strength. These efforts require power. Successful athletes get motivation from exercise, surpassing self-limiting. Similarly, make hackers, you have to get basic fun from solving problems, hood technology and exercise intelligence.
If you are not born, such people want to be a hacker, you have to try to become such a person. Otherwise you will find that your hacking will be swallowed by other distracted things - such as money, sex and social virtual name.
(Similarly, you must build confidence in your own learning ability - I believe although you don't know about a problem, as long as you test, learn, you will work and solve it.)
2. One problem should not be solved twice.
Smart head is a valuable limited resource. When the world is still full of interesting new problems that are needed to solve, they should not be wasted on reinventing the wheels.
As a hacker, you must believe that other hackers think is precious - thus sharing information, solving the problem and issuing the result to other hackers almost a kind of morality, so others can solve new problems rather than constantly busy Give an old problem.
(You don't have to think that you have to create all the invention creation, but the hacker who has won everyone's extremely respected people. Selling some money to raise your family, renting a house, buying a computer, even the big fortune and hacker value is also compatible, As long as you don't forget you or a hacker.)
3. The bored and bored work is evil.
Hackers (generally referring to creative people) should never be stupid repetitive labor, because when this happens, it means that they are not doing only what they can do - solve new problems. Such waste is hurt everyone. Therefore, bored and bored things are not only uncomfortable, but also sin.
As a hacker, you must firmly believe this and will automate the boring work as much as possible, not only for yourself, but also for others (especially other hackers).
(There is an obvious exception to this. Hackers sometimes do some work in others seem to be repetitive or boring for "brain rest", or to get some skill, or get some unable to obtain Special experience. But this is voluntary - people with brains should not be forced to be bored.)
4. Long live free.
The hackers are naturally alone. Anyone who can send you ordered to force you to stop solving the problem that makes you fans, at the same time, in accordance with the general idea of dictators, he usually gives some extreme ignorance. So, no matter where, any descriptor's practice, as long as it oppresss you and other hackers, you will fight with it.
(This is not to challenge all authority. Children need to be monitored, and criminals have to be taught. If obeyed orders get something compared to other methods, hackers can agree to accept some form of authority. But this is a Limited, intentional transactions; the authority you want personal obeys you should agree to give it.)
Authority likes to review and confidentiality. They don't trust the sharing of voluntary cooperation and information - they only like the so-called "cooperation" they control. Therefore, as a hacker, you have to review, confidential, and people who use force or spoof to oppress the behavioral ability. There is a kind of instinctility. At the same time, you have to have a willingness to fight for this belief.
5. Attitude cannot be alternate.
As a hacker, you must develop these attitudes. But only these attitudes don't make you a hacker, you can't make you a sports and rock star. Become a hacker, need intelligence, practice, dedication, and hard work.
Therefore, you must learn to doubt and respect a variety of capabilities. The hackers will not waste time for those who are molded, but they are very respectful - especially the ability to work in hackers, but any ability is always good. The ability to have few people can have is particularly good, in which of course best, it is of course best to involve brain, techniques and focuses.
Respecting the ability, you will enjoy the fun of improving your ability - the hard work and dedication will become a high entertainment rather than a bitter. It is very important to be a hacker.
Basic skills of hackers
Hacker attitude is important, but technology is more important. Attitude cannot be replaced, and some basic technologies you must master before you are called hackers.
These basic technologies have changed slowly with time with the emergence of new technologies and the time of old technology. For example, past content includes using machine language programming, but until recently, HTML is only included. In general, it is now mainly including the following techniques:
1. Learn how to program.
This is of course the most basic hacker skills. If you don't have any programming languages, I suggest you start from Python. It is clear, the document is complete, and the appropriate beginners are entitled. It is a very good entry language, but it is not just a toy; it is very powerful and flexible, and it is also suitable for large projects. I have a Python to evaluate this. A good tutorial can be obtained at the Python website. (Translator: Comparative Chinese Python Site may be http://pythonRecord.51.net.)
Java is also a good entry language. It is much more than Python, but the generated code is much more. It is also an excellent computer language, not only used to get started.
But attention, if you only have two languages, you will not meet the technical level required by the hacker, and you can't even reach a programmer level - you need to learn how to think about programming in an abstract way, independent of any Language. To be a real hacker, you need to learn to pass some manuals in a few days, combine you now know, quickly master a new language. This means that you should learn a few distinct languages. If you want to do some important programming, you will have to learn the core language of the C language, UNIX. C is very similar to C; if you understand one, learn another should be difficult. But these two are not suitable for programming entry. And in fact, you avoid programming with C, the higher your work efficiency.
C is very efficient, saving your machine resources. Unfortunately, the efficiency of C is achieved by manually doing a lot of underlying management (such as memory). The underlying code is complex and easy to appear bugs, which will make you spend more time debugging. Today's machine speed is so fast, this is usually a loss-relatively wise practice to use a slower, lower efficiency, but saving your time. Therefore, select Python.
Other languages that are more important to hackers include Perl and Lisp. Perl is practical, it is worth learning; it is widely used in dynamic web pages and system management, so you should learn even if you never write programs, you should also learn. Many people use Perl reasons and I suggest you use Python's reason to avoid using C to do those do not need C high efficiency. You will need to understand the code of those work.
Lisp is worth learning. The reason for learning is different - you will get rich enlightenment and experience when you master it. These experiences will make you a better programmer in the later days, even if you actually use the Lisp itself.
Of course, in fact, you will be better than five (Python, Java, C / C , Perl, and LISP). In addition to the most important hacking language, they also represent the distinct programming ideas and methods, each of which will make you benefit.
Here I can't give you a full guidance church. How do you program - this is a complex skill. But I can tell you that books and classes cannot be made (the best hackers, there are many, may almost all self-learning materials). You can learn from the book to the language - just some fans, but to make written knowledge become your own skills can only learn from others through practice and humility. Therefore, you should make (a) read code and (b) write code.
Learning how to program like learning with a beautiful natural language writing. The best practice is to read some masters' famous, try to write something, read some, write some, read some, write some ... so recover until your article reaches the simplicity of the model you experience. and strength.
It is difficult for the past to find a good code that is suitable for reading because there is almost no source code for large programs to make novice practicing. This situation has dramatically changing; open source software, programming tools, and operating systems (written by hackers) are now visible everywhere. Let us continue to discuss in the next topic ...
2. Get an open source UNIX and learn to use it, run it.
I assume that you already have or can use a personal computer (today's children are really happy :-)). The most basic steps that the newcomers can learn to learn hacker skills is to get a Linux or BSD-UNIX, install on a personal computer and run it.
Yes, this world has other operating systems in addition to UNIX. But they are all published in binary - you can't read its source code, or it is impossible to modify it. Try learning hacking technology on machines running DOS or Windows or Macos, just like a foot dance. In addition, UNIX is also an operating system of an Internet. You can learn to go online, but you don't know Unix, but you don't know Unix can't be an internet hacker. Therefore, today's hacker culture is largely dominated by UNIX. (This is not always true, some early hackers have always been very unhappy, but the link between UNIX and the Internet is so strong, even Microsoft has no choice but to.)
So, install a set of unix - I personally love Linux but there are other types (yes, you can install Linux and DOS / Windows on the same computer at the same time). Learn it, use it, configure it. Use it to surf over the Internet. Read its source code. Modify its source code. You will get better programming tools (including C, Lisp, Python, and Perl) than in Microsoft operating systems. You will feel happy, learn more about you can't conscious before you become Master.
Want to know more about learning UNIX, visit The Loginataka.
Want to know how to get a Linux, visit me where I can get Linux. (Translator: For Chinese readers, the easiest way is not too much to go to the nearby D version / genuine CD.)
You can find the help and other resources of BSD UNIX at http://www.bsd.org/.
I have written an introductory article about UNIX and Internet.
(Note: If you are a newbie, I don't recommend installing Linux or BSD independent. If you install Linux, seek your local Linux user group; or contact Open Projects Network. Lisc maintains some IRC channels, where you can get help .)
3. Learn how to use WWW and write HTML
Most of the hacker cultural construction plays a role in your dissevantably, helping the factory, office and universities running normally, and it is difficult to see its influence on the lives of non-black people. The Web is a big exception. Even if politicians agree, this huge dazzling hacker toy is changing the entire world. Single is this reason (there are many other), you need to learn the web.
This is not just how to use browser (who will), but to learn how to write HTML, web tag language. If you don't program, write HTML will teach you some thinking habits that help to learn. Therefore, complete a home page first. (There are a lot of good tutorials online; this is one.)
But just having a homepage can't make you a hacker. The web is full of various web pages. Most of them are meaningless, zero information grunge - interface fashionable garbage, note, garbage levels are similar (more information access the HTML Hell Page).
To have valuable, your page must have content - it must be fun or help other hackers. This is what the next topic is involved ...
4. If you don't understand the practical English, learn.
As an American and a person who is native language, I used to be very unfortunate to mention this, so as not to be a cultural imperialism. But quite more people who have been in other languages have always advised me to point out this, that is, English is a hacker culture and an Internet working language, you need to know how to work smoothly in the hacking community.
This is true. In about 1991, I learned that many hackers use English in technology discussions, even when their natives are the same, English is just a second language for them; according to the report I know, current English is more language than other languages A lot of technical vocabulary, so it is a very good tool for work. Based on similar reasons, the translation of English and technical books is usually unsatisfactory (if there is translation). Linus Torvalds, a Finnish, commented in his code in English (it is obvious that this is not a happening). He fluent English has become an important factor in managing a worldwide Linux developer community. This is an example worth learning.
Status of hacker culture
Like most cultures that do not involve money, the kingdom of the hacker rely on a reputation. You manage to solve interesting questions, but they are more interesting, how good your solution is to be judged by those who have the same technology or more than yours.
Accordingly, when you are playing hacker games, you have to recognize your score mainly relying on other hackers to your technology evaluation (this is why only when other hackers said that you are hackers, you will be a Hacker). This truth will often be hacked by a lonely job. This impression is weakened; it will be weakened by another hacker culture (now gradually weakening but still strong): refuses to recognize self or external assessment is related to a person's driving force. .
In particular, the hacker kingdom is called a dedication culture by anthropologists. Here you are not based on your rule of others to build status and preliminary, nor depends on something, or something you want, but dedication to you. Especially dedication to your time, your creation and your technical results.
To get the respect for other hackers, there is basically five things you can do:
1. Write open source software
The first (also the most concentrated and traditional) is a program that is written some of the other hackers who think of interesting or useful, and provide the program source code to the entire hacker culture.
(In the past, we called "Free Software", but this made a lot of people who don't know about Free, now we have at least 2: 1 ratio according to search engine web content, use "Open-Source" Software This word).
The most respected idol of the hacker kingdom is those who write large, easy to use, widely used software, and publish them, making people who use his software.
2. Help test and debug open source software
Hackers also respect those who use and test open source software. In this less than perfect world, we must inevitably spend most of the development time in the debug stage. That's why any author's open source of open source will tell you a good Beta tester (know how to clearly describe the symptoms of error, well positioned, able to endure the BUG in the fast release, and willing to use some simple diagnostic tools ) Is as precious as rubbing. Even one of them can judge which test stage is extended, which is an exhaustive nightmare, which is just a good little trouble.
If you are a newbie, try to find a program you are interested in, do a good Beta tester. You will naturally come to test, progress to help catch the bug, and finally help the program. You will learn a lot from middle school and will help you with friendship with the future.
3. Announced information
Another good thing is to collect the useful interesting information to make a web page or document such as a FAQ list, and make them easily obtained.
The main technological FAQ maintainer is as respect to the author of almost open source.
4. Help maintain the operation of the infrastructure
Hacker culture (also developed in the Internet, in this regard), this is the power of volunteers. To make the Internet work properly, you have to have a lot of boring work to complete - managing Mail List, newsgroups, maintaining large software libraries, developing RFCs and other technical standards, etc. People who do this kind of thing will get a lot of respect, because each person knows that these things are very spent in time, not as fun as programming. Do these things need to be dedicated.
5. Service for hacker culture itself
Finally, you can promote this culture itself (for example, like me, write a "how to become a hacker" :-)) (Translator: I don't know if barret turned it into Chinese).). This is not necessary to stay in this circle for a long time, because of some point in the above four points, there must be a reputation before you can do it.
Hacker culture has no leader. It is precisely that it does some cultural heroes, tribes, historians and spokespersons. If you stay in this circle, you may become one of them. Remember: The hackers don't believe in the boast of their tribes, so that this honor is dangerous. With its pursuit, it is better to squand in your own position first - the time you have to be modest and elegant.
Hackers and Nerd (Nerd)
Instead of popular fans, a hacker does not have to be a nerd. But it is really helpful, and many hackers are actually nerd. Being a deep-hunting person helps you focus on things, such as thinking and programming.
Therefore, many hackers are willing to accept the outer number of "nerd", and more people use the word "Geek", which is proud - this is a declaration that declares them independent of the mainstream society. . Access the GEek Page to participate in more discussion.
If you can concentrate enough energy to do a good hacking at the same time, you can have a normal life, which is very good. It is easier to do this now than I am a novice in the 1970s; now the mainstream culture is more friendly for technology. There is even more and more people realize that hackers are usually a good lover and spouse material.
If you make a hacker because of your life, it is nothing - it is not much. Maybe you will find yourself in the future.
Significance
Reiterate, as a hacker, you must enter the spirit of hackers. When you are not on the edge of the computer, you still have a lot of things that have helpful work for hackers. They don't replace truly programming (nothing can be), but many hackers do it, and feel that they have some basic connection with the essence of hackers.
Learn smoothly with native language. Although programmers cannot write a good view of the article quite common, there is a surprising number of hackers (including all I know the best) is a good writer. Reading science fiction. Participate in science fiction seminars. (A good way to encounter a hacker and a hacker will be a hacker), and / or practice praise. (Spiritual cultivation seems to be amazing.) Practice can analyze the listeners of music, learn to appreciate special music. Learn to play some musical instrument or sing. Improve the appreciation of bids and text games.
These things, the more you have done, the more you are born to be a hacker. As for why it is these things, the reason is not fully clear, but they all involve the integration of left-right brain capability, which seems to be the key (hackers need clear logical thinking, sometimes need to deviate from logic Icon).
Finally, there are some things that don't do it.
Don't use stupid, demo pet ID or nickname. Don't be involved in the battle of usenet (or other places forum). Don't claim to be "Cyberpunk (Network Rebel)", do not waste time and those who deed. Don't let you send email or post posts full of wrong spelling and chaos. Doing the above things, will only make laugh. The hackers have a memory super group - you will take a few years to let them forget your mistakes.
The problem of the net name is worth thinking. After hiding identity in false names, it is a hacker, decryptive, D00DZ and other low-class biological nami-stupid behavior. Hackers will not do these things; they are proud of them, and they are happy to join the work with their true name. So if you use a fake name now, give it. It will make you failed in hacker culture.
Other resources
Peter Seebach maintains a very good HACKER FAQ, dedicated to managers who don't know how to deal with hackers. If Peter's site cannot be accessed, the Excite search should have a copy.
I also have a brief history of hacker culture.
I wrote a cathedral and market, which has a detailed explanation for Linux and open source code culture. I also further explained the resulting ending in this topic - pioneering intelligence domain.
Rick Moen wrote a good document on how to run a Linux user group.
I have completed another article about questioning with Rick Moen, which allows you to help you half a meal.
If you want to know the basic concepts and working principles of PC, UNIX, and Internet, refer to The Unix and Internet Fundamentals HowTo.
When you release a software or patch it, try to do it according to the software issuance of the practice of HOWTO. (Most of the Chinese version of the above mentioned articles can be found at www.aka.org.cn and www.linuxforum.net.)
FAQ (often questionable questions)
ask:
Can you teach me to be a hacker?
ask:
So, how do I start?
ask:
When did I start learning? Will it be too late?
ask:
How long do you want to learn a hacking?
ask:
Is Visual Basic and Delphi a good entry language?
ask:
Can you help me "black" off a site? Or teach me how to black?
ask:
How can I get the password of someone else?
ask:
How do I invade / view / monitor others's email?
ask:
How can I steal the privilege of channel OP in the IRC chat room?
ask:
I was black. Can you help me avoid being attacked later?
ask:
My Windows software has problems. Can you help me?
ask:
Where can I find a real hacker who can communicate with it?
ask:
Can you recommend some good books about hackers?
ask:
Become a hacker, do I need to be good at mathematics?
ask:
I should learn from that language?
ask:
What kind of machine configuration does I need?
ask:
I have to hate and oppose Microsoft?
ask:
But is open source software not to make the programmer lose a meal?
ask:
How do I start? Where is free UNIX?
Q: Can you teach me to be a hacker?
A: Since the first release of this document, I will receive some requests every week, (frequent words a day) I want me "Church them to be a hacker." Unfortunately, I don't have time and energy to do this; my own hacking project, and I have a 10% time for me as an open source advocate. Even if I want to teach you, hackers are still basically a self-cultivation attitude and technology. When the real hacker wants to help you, if you beg your a tablespoon, a tablespoon is "feed" you, you will find that they will not respect you.
Go to learn something first. Show you attempt, you can learn from yourself. Then go to the hacker you have encountered to ask special questions.
If you send E-mail to a hacker seek him, this is a matter of two preliminary remembers. First, the written text seems lazy and careless people usually very lazy to think and very Ma Da, can't be a hacker - therefore pay attention to the correct, use the correct syntax and pronunciation, otherwise you may ignore. Second, do not try to request a reply to an ISP account, and that account is different from your message address. Those who do this are generally used to use the accounting account, and some people will not be interested in helping the thief.
Q: So, how do I start?
A: The best introduction to you may be a party to participate in the LUG (Linux user group). You can find similar organizations on the LDP's integrated Linux information page; there may be one near your home, and it is very likely to hook universities or schools. If you ask for a request, the Lug member will give you a set of Linux. Of course, it will help you install and take you.
Q: When did I start learning? Will it be too late?
A: When you have a motivation, it is a good time. Most people seem to be interested in 15-20 years old, but as far as I know, there are also exceptions outside this age.
Q: How long do you want to learn to learn hackers?
A: This depends on your intelligence and effort. Most people as long as they focus, they can learn a respectable skill between 18 and 2 years. However, don't think it is over; if you are a real hacker, you have to use your rest to learn and improve your technology.
Q: Is Visual Basic and Delphi a good entry language?
A: No, because they are not portable. They are not the open source implementation of those languages, so you are restricted to those platforms that manufacturers choose support. Accepting such a monopoly situation is not a hacker attitude.
Visual Basic is particularly bad. It is Microsoft's private language. This fact is enough to make it face all, unlike other Basic, it is a design bad language to teach you bad program habits.
One of the bad habits is based on a single manufacturer's library, control and development tool. In general, any language that cannot be supported at least Linux or a BSD, or other third-party operating system is a language that is not suitable for cashing a hacker.
Q: Can you help me "black" off a site? Or teach me how to black?
A: NO. Anyone who has written this problem after reading this FAQ is an unhappy fool. Even if there is time, I will not pay attention to me. Any such e-mail sent to me will be ignored or painted.
Q: How can I get the password of someone else?
A: This is a hacker. Rolling far, idiot.
Q: How do I invade / view / monitor others's email?
A: This is a hacker. I disappeared in front of me.
Q: How can I steal the privilege of channel OP in the IRC chat room?
A: This is a hacker. Go to S, mound guys. Q: I was black. Can you help me avoid being attacked later?
A: No. So far, every time I ask me this, some rookie running Microsoft Windows. It is impossible to protect the Windows system from hacker attacks; too many defects and architectures make the efforts to protect Windows such as the zippers. The only reliable prevention comes from transfers to Linux or other systems designed at least enough secure.
Q: My Windows software has a problem. Can you help me?
A: Of course. Enter the DOS mode and type "Format C:". Any questions you have encountered will disappear within a few minutes.
Q: Where can I find a real hacker who can communicate with it?
A: The best way is to find a UNIX or Linux user group near you, participate in their party. (You can find some links to the user group in Metalab's LDP site.)
I have said that I can't find a real hacker on IRC, but I found that the situation has changed. Obviously some real hackers' communities like GIMP and Perl, there are IRC channels. )
Q: Can you recommend some good books about hackers?
A: I maintain a Linux Reading List Howto, maybe you will feel useful. Loginataka is also very interesting.
For the introduction of Python, please visit the entry information on the Python site.
Q: Is it a hacker I need to be good at mathematics?
A: No. The hackpers rarely use routine mathematics or arithmetic, but you absolutely need to be able to logically think and perform precise reasoning.
Especially if you don't use the calculus or circuit analysis (we leave these for electronics engineers :-)). The background knowledge of some limited mathematics, including the Boolean, a collection, combined mathematics, and Figure, chart.
Q: What should I learn from that language?
A: html - If you still don't understand. There is a lot of covers in the market, promoting the poor HTML books of the sky, unfortunately, very few. My favorite is HTML: The Definitive Guide.
But HTML is not entirely a programming language. When you are ready to start programming, I recommend starting from Python. You will hear a large group of people recommend Perl, and Perl is still much more popular than Python, but it is difficult to learn (see me) is not very good.
C is indeed important, but it is much more difficult than Python or Perl. Don't try to learn C.
Windows users do not satisfy Visual Basic. It will teach you bad habits, and it can't be transplanted, you can only run under Windows. Avoid it.
Q: What kind of machine configuration I need?
A: The past personal computer capacity is quite enough and the memory is small, and the result is a human obstacle to the hacker learning process. It is not the case before a period of time; any configuration has enough capacity than an Intel 486DX50 good machine to develop work, X, and Internet newsletter, and the smallest disk you bought now is great. (According to the Barret, at least Pentium 166mmx is now enough.)
When choosing a machine used to learn, it is important to pay attention to whether the accessories are Linux compatible (or BSD compatible if you choose to learn BSD). As mentioned just now, most of the current machines are in line; the only thing worth noting is in modem and printers; some machines with accessories for Windows are not working under Linux. About hardware compatibility has a FAQ; the latest version is here.
Q: I have to hate and oppose Microsoft?
A: No, you don't have to do this. Not because Microsoft is not annoying, but because the hacker culture has existed before Microsoft appears, and will still exist after Microsoft has become history. You spend any strength to hate Microsoft is not as good as spending your technology. Written code - that will quite effectively hit Microsoft and will not let you get the spread.
Q: But open source software does not make programmers lose their rice bowl?
A: It is unlikely - so far, the open source software industry seems to have created more employment opportunities rather than reducing employment opportunities. If you write a program, it is a pure economic income than the non-written, then after writing, the programmer should get the remuneration whether or not the program is open source. Also, no matter how "free free" software, there is more new, customized software requirements. I have more discussion in this area and put it in open source code website.
Q: How do I start? Where is free UNIX?
A: One place in this document I have mentioned where you can get the most common free Unix. To be a hacker, you need to be self-reliant, and self-study ability. Go now ...
