What means to "hack" in computer terms?

Question

I onced heard a very young kid (7 year) old playing on the computer in the library saying he wanted to hack the computer....what does thins mean?

Answer 1

If a 7 year old says he wants to “hack” a computer, he really doesn't have any idea what he wants. He probably heard the word on a movie and saw that the person “hacking” was revered. He just wants to look cool.

Answer 2

Usually it means to get into someone's account and steal information, or post things under that account name.

I would guess that the 7 year old didn't really know what he would be looking for in the library computer, unless he was on some website where he could get into people's accounts and steal information etc.

He was probably saying it just to say it. I couldn't possibly think of any reason that a 7 year old would want to get into a library computer, unless he was being reckless and just wanted to mess things up.

Answer 3

getting into files and folders that are locked  and need a password. trying to get info that he has no business getting, like off someone elses computer,a website. like a student could hack a school computer to try and switch subject scores or test  scores or such. or erase something on there file.

Answer 4

He wanted to access the computer's configuration and network system. Basically, he wants to access illegal and unauthorized information in the computer. For a 7 year old, he probably isn't capable of that task. Another term for hacking is to access an account on a website and change/erase account settings and passwords. He probably just wanted to get into a restricted website.

♥xoxo♥ good luck

Answer 5

The word "hacker" has multiple meanings. Its original meaning was a computer or electronics enthusiast who likes to go beyond the ordinary and expected use of those devices. It was the electronics equivalent of the guys who take their cars apart and put them back together a little bit differently while most people just drive their cars and take them to mechanics when they break.

It has since gained the meaning of someone who breaks into other people's computers and possibly even does damage. Unfortunately, this meaning has become so prevalent that it has basically taken over the other meaning.

The two meanings date back to the days when hackers primarily  messed with the biggest computer network in the world -- the telephone system. In those days, calling across the country was fairly expensive (if you had a "long distance call", you would come running to the phone excitedly), and for those knowledgeable in the internals of the telephone system, it was hard to resist the temptation of making free telephone calls.

That the terms "hacker" and "cracker" became confused by the media recently is a myth. The dual meanings of "hacker" long pre-date (1960's) any media interest in computer security (1980's).

I would guess though that the kid just meant that he wanted to mess with the computer.

Answer 6

Hacker , someone who breaks into a computer and network security,

weather it is to steal information or to help you fix a problem.

they are very smart computer technicians.

Answer 7

umm okay if hes seven he isnt gonna hack sht. But u said he wanted to hack the computer or the game. If hes talking about a game then its just basically cheating. If hes talking about a computer hack that means hes using skill in computer programming to gain illegal or unauthorized access to a file or network. hope i helped ';..;'

Answer 8

He wanted to break into the the computer configuration settings.

Answer 9

The term has two meanings. Back in the old days (at least until a few years ago), hackers were coders, people who wanted to work on code, changes what they thought they could improve, create new code, etc. Hacking didn't mean you were doing anything wrong, illegal or malicious.

Somewhere along the way, probably because of the media, which understands NOTHING about IT culture, the term got confused with "cracking," which is what you call it when you do the bad stuff.

I'm a hacker. I write code for a living. I am not a bad person.

Answer 10

YOu can wan't to hack a computer and you can acutally do it. Saying you want do hack a computer doesn't make the 7 year old capable. The reason he probably wanted to was because the library's set up access restrictions site restrictions and all over restrictions on there computers, he probably wanted to hack the computer to disable all the restrictions so he would be free to do what ever on that computer,doesn't mean he knew how though.  

Answer 11

To make it do something it wasn't meant to do.  

Answer 12

to hack is to find out the password and use the system or thing your hanging for your own use.... another way if u got some kind of computer software that can hack a game on your pc or game system and make it do what u want... for eXample lets say i hack a computer game and i make it so i have infinate ammunition because of it.... thats hacking.

Answer 13

First of all, unless the 7 year old is a very bright child and knows a LOT about computers, he won't hack them!! To hack a computer is a way of saying you are going to sneak into another computer by the one you are on.  When people hack computers it is normally a bad thing.  Sorry if my defintion isn't the best.   Try google, or dictionary.com?  Hope I helped :-)

Answer 14

i believe that to hack a computer is to access it without permission, like figuring out the password or having a software to break down codes so you can access computer networks that are protected by firewalls.