What is up with everything being called a "hack"?
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It seems like every day on Hometalk I hear about the latest "hack". I'm sorry but hack is not a positive term for these great projects. There are 2 relevant definitions of hack. One is the act of breaking into a computer network which is a crime and the other is a "hack" which is a term for a writer known for doing a sloppy or shoddy work and not particularly professional. Why does anyone think this is a great term to use and is it's use that prevalent outside of Hometalk? Is it just me that finds the term irritating? Am I missing something?
4 answers
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Hey Susan, I really love this question, because I am also often baffled by the terms that people use on Hometalk. But to tell you the truth, I feel like I'm getting an education in how we often use words differently in different contexts. One of my favorite examples is the art of "junking". As in "@Donna , I looooove what you've done with that junk!" We on Hometalk have varying tastes and preferences... but we're learning to speak a common language (maybe we can brand it "Hometalkish"). By the way, a "hack" can mean to modify or change something in an extraordinary way - which is what Hometalk is all about! Another positive definition: "a clever solution to a tricky problem" (source: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=hack) So I think it's safe to keep on appreciating the Ikea hacks, furniture redo hacks, Christmas decoration hacks, and all other funky junky hacks on Hometalk without getting irritated or confused.
Yair Spolter
on Dec 11, 2014
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I totally agree! Why people use negative words to describe something so good is beyond me!
Shari K
on Dec 11, 2014
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Just like everything else in life, the English language is constantly evolving. Hack:a clever solution to a tricky problem.
Julies1949
on Dec 12, 2014
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Ah, what the hack.
Lori
on Dec 12, 2014
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