First recorded usage of “Hacker” from MIT paper in 1963

[soundsop]

http://www.cyberpunkreview.com/internet-find/first-recorded-usage-of-hacker-from-mit-paper-in-1963/

[sown]

I seem to remember the phrase being used to describe writers "hacking" at their typewriters sometime earlier, too...

[gruseom → sown]

"Hack" related to writing has been around much longer. IIRC, Byron described himself this way. The article here concerns the tech sense only.

Also, in the case of a writer the noun isn't "hacker" but just "hack".

Edit: can't find the reference in Byron. I am reminded, though, that a "hack" used to refer to an old or low-quality horse that would be let out for hire. Perhaps it got applied to writers from there.

[jcl]

Earlier discussions:

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=289215

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=152565