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MidnightGhost
We all have our complaints about the term decker and the term hacker. everybody seems to be talking about it on other threads but this subject doesn't have its own thread yet.


Pick the new name you would like to see for deckers. After we get a good list going we could start a poll (who knows maybe we could get it changed)




Here are some I like that I have seen so far...

Netrunner - (if we can use it, shadowrunner on the net= netrunner)
Scanner - (very nice for a wireless net)
Breakers - (short for code breaker)
Jackers - (Pays respect to fast jack and refers to head jacks)

Slash_Thompson
Information Infilitration Specialists. nyahnyah.gif
Fortune
Hackers! nyahnyah.gif
Dan Difino
Split the difference between decker and hacker-dacker or hecker. biggrin.gif
Kagetenshi
QUOTE (Slash_Thompson)
Information Infilitration Specialists. nyahnyah.gif

We are not naming them IIS nyahnyah.gif

I heard this great name once, can't remember what it was… I think it was Deckers?

~J
DarusGrey
Lets just call them "Geeks" and be done with it.
SirBedevere
Electron Jockeys?
Spookymonster
Teh 1337
Solstice
iNPh0rM@+i0N iNPhi1+r@+i0N $P3ci@1i$+z
hobgoblin
infomancer/techmancer?
maybe a bit to wizardry?
still, i love the image of someone taking over a passing drone and then send it on a ramming action towards that wizard nyahnyah.gif
Solstice
From my understanding of the word and the context in which it was historically and probably intended to be used, "hacker" would be an incorrect term to describe new age "deckers". The origin of the term (some say from MIT) meant someone who circumvented limitations for the intellectual challenge (the "white hats") and probably were system admins who tried to stop illegal activities on their networks.

What I believe to be teh correct term for someone who exploits computers or electronics for illicit purposes is called a "cracker". The media of course didn't think this sounded morbid/evil enough so they went on to use "hacker" in every possible instance until they told the lie long enough and it became truth.

I don't believe either term should be put to use in SR4 I just thought I would provide some information.
SirBedevere
Jack Jockey
Kagetenshi
Really, a hacker is the consummate non-professional problem-solver. They're people who take technology and get it to do something that it doesn't want to do in any way possible. Spaghetti code? Resoldering your Game Gear to display on a modern projector? Building a rifle-shaped antenna that allows you to snoop on wireless signals from a kilometer out, but that you need to hold just right otherwise the wires don't touch right, that's what hackers do.

~J
hobgoblin
the original meaning of the label hacker was someone that was good at (re)writing (hacking) code. later on it was extended to anyone able to hack a system (ie understand how it works and how it could be manipulated).

the media tho jumped on it as a label when website defacement got popular and made it into what it is now. most of the time tho this was done using premade scripts and tools found on the net and the term cracker and script-kiddie was brought into being. the movie hackers didnt help tho and now the media have made the label hacker synonymus with someone that sits in front of a crt, wearing sunglasses and trying to break the latest NSA encryptions just so that they can empty someones bank account or take over a nuclear missile for fun and profit...
Solstice
Are you talking about "Swordfish"? That movie rocked. biggrin.gif
hobgoblin
well, it would be fun to try and crack a insane-bit encryption in 60 seconds while getting a blowjob but basicly thats not going to happen. unless the guy knew of a flaw in the algorithm the only solution is to bruteforce the key, not going to happen unless he highjacked a supercomputer of unheard of power...

the assembly of that tool of his could happen tho. nice way to hide it.
but i much prefer hackers over swordfish, atleast there they show some tricks that could work IRL (like the opening where he calls up the nightwatch and social-enginner him into giving the modem number nyahnyah.gif ), that is if your not dazzled by the cgi...
Solstice
QUOTE (hobgoblin)
well, it would be fun to try and crack a insane-bit encryption in 60 seconds while getting a blowjob but basicly thats not going to happen. unless the guy knew of a flaw in the algorithm the only solution is to bruteforce the key, not going to happen unless he highjacked a supercomputer of unheard of power...

the assembly of that tool of his could happen tho. nice way to hide it.
but i much prefer hackers over swordfish, atleast there they show some tricks that could work IRL (like the opening where he calls up the nightwatch and social-enginner him into giving the modem number nyahnyah.gif ), that is if your not dazzled by the cgi...

No I didn't mean it rocked in any kind of intelligent context. It just had boobies.
The_Eyes
or that stupid scene where they have the telephone booths rotating in front of the screen for like 60 seconds with nothing else going on. nyahnyah.gif

I actually like slicers or techies. Some people seemed to like when I suggested Trogdor the Burninators, though.
hobgoblin
if the script fails, get a hottie and have her display her assets. instant blockbuster (yes i know there was boobes on display in hackers to, i love shooting myself in the foot)...
Fortune
QUOTE
It just had boobies.


And a great villian! smile.gif
Catsnightmare
Anything is better than hackers.
hobgoblin
i dont know why but i prefer a story where someone uses brains and trickery to solve the problem over brute force nyahnyah.gif
DrJest
QUOTE
Netrunner - (if we can use it, shadowrunner on the net= netrunner)


Cyberpunk 2020 might be angry with us smile.gif

QUOTE
Scanner - (very nice for a wireless net)


Cybergeneration might be angry with us smile.gif

QUOTE
Breakers - (short for code breaker)


Mm, over here in the UK a Breaker is a bloke who scraps vehicles and the like. I used to get a lot of my spare parts from the local breakers' yard.

QUOTE
Jackers - (Pays respect to fast jack and refers to head jacks)


Isn't it in the US that a Jacker is someone who steals (jacks) a car?

The term "hacker" certainly pre-dates computers, and often referred to a prankster (like the guys who reassembled someone's car in their dorm). It narrowed first to electronics (that model railway club) and in many peoples' minds has become synonymous with computer crime, although as Solstice said the correct term for that is Cracker (nothing to do with "trailer trash" nyahnyah.gif )
Spookymonster
Here's a good, quick read on the etymology of the word 'hack'.
L.D
Technomancer
Siege
Actually, somone who steals a car is a "carjacker", a more specific variant of "hijacker."

We could call them "crackers!" Oh, wait...never mind. grinbig.gif

-Siege
kylleran
Ummm hacker, and uhhh, technomancer.
Does my vote count.
hermit
Now, the way I understood it, 'hacker' encompasses the entirety of electronics characters: deckers, riggers, electronics specialists. Apparently, these subclasses will still be named such, at least that's what I took from posts in the rigger threads. Hence, we're not looking for a new name for deckers, but for a name to cover all these character types.

I propose brain jockeys, but that's bad. Ceratinly, the rest can do better. smile.gif
Kagetenshi
QUOTE (kylleran)
Ummm hacker, and uhhh, technomancer.
Does my vote count.

Even "hacker" is better than technomancer.

~J
psykotisk_overlegen
Well if we're looking for a collective name for all of them, hacker certainly doesn't fit at all.
Haven't got a good suggestion though. I guess this is why those people are making SR4 and not I.
hermit
Well, they use hacker ... guess they were short of fitting names too.
Jacker? Divers? They dive into other bodies and worlds ... still, anything but hackers. I'd rather have them be called Trogdors the Burninators.
psykotisk_overlegen
I agree, anything is better than hacker, i guess jacker is one of the better suggestions.

I know I could just use my own words in my own games instead of spending time bitching about terminology, but once they start using "hacker" in published material that is pretty much what most of my players will use.
Fortune
Jacker makes me think of someone pleasuring himself while viewing virtual porn.
Dizzo Dizzman
I really like Netrunners and Scanners if they can be used without violating copyright. I also like breakers more than hackers. I even like technomancer more than hacker (very Gibsonesque).

How about these for some alternatives:

Bitboys
Silicon Samarai
Digital Dogs
Savants
Wireless Wizards
Technos
Data Dancers
Techo Adept

Just brainstorming. cool.gif
hermit
QUOTE
Jacker makes me thing of someone pleasuring himself while viewing virtual porn.

*sigh*

I kinda like Technos. Better than hackers, and encompasses the entire rigger/decker/electronics people nicely. But it makes me think of terrible European music .. sarcastic.gif
Fygg Nuuton
decker. i always liked decker
hermit
Well, decker is out, because decker is a subcathegory of hacker now.
SuperSpy
QUOTE (Fortune)
Jacker makes me thing of someone pleasuring himself while viewing virtual porn.

My thought is that this is what Deckers do most of the time anyway inbetween legwork, runs and when they say they're running Null Operations.

Plus, if Fanpro decides to merge BTL addiction into the whole decker/rigger mess (in the continued spirit of streamlining), then it makes the term even more applicable.

Anyway, I just have to defend the term, since I invented it.
Kanada Ten
Cybernauts

Datamen
Digimen
Digits

Puppeteers
Puppet Masters

Weblings
Lurkers
Spinsters
Arethusa
Puppet Masters? This from the self proclaimed GitS hater?
Kanada Ten
From the self-proclaimed can't really watch GitSer. Surprised at a parallel development? It seemed fitting, if poor sounding, when riggers and deckers are merging.
Lucyfersam
From the description of combining deckers and riggers, I think having a generalized name for the overall group with sub names for those focused more towards computer and those focus more towards vehicles. Knowing something about the hardware interface would be helpful for coming up with a new term. I like the principle behind the name Jackers, but the word itself just doesn't seem to work very well. I think part of the reason they're using hackers is probably the fact that they can't come up with anything else either. If the developers could find it in their hearts to drop some names of pieces of hardware, that would be nice... (also maybe drop a hint as to wether they are at all flexible on this hacker term...)
Smiley
Nerds or geeks.
RunnerPaul
QUOTE (L.D)
Technomancer

This one was actually used as a synonym for Decker on the back cover blurb of the original core rulebook back in '89 IIRC.

The catch is, at one time, White Wolf was using it to describe certain factions in their Mage game setting. The term seemed to fall into disuse in the later releases, but they're also puting out a new edition of Mage in a few months, and the term may have come back into vogue.

I'm also fond of the term Slicer, but I think LucasFilm Limited's Licensing department has that one pretty well bound up in their Star Wars: Expanded Universe material.
mfb
"technomancer" strikes me as kinda dumb. but i'll be happy as long as they don't do anything too crazy with otaku and deckers.
RunnerPaul
QUOTE (mfb)
i'll be happy as long as they don't do anything too crazy with otaku and deckers.

That'd depend on your concept of crazy. They're already indicated they're merging deckers and riggers, which a lot of posters around here would call crazy.
Tal
QUOTE (hermit)
Well, they use hacker ... guess they were short of fitting names too.
Jacker? Divers? They dive into other bodies and worlds ... still, anything but hackers. I'd rather have them be called Trogdors the Burninators.


I kinda like divers, but I don't think it wouldn't really work. Maybe it would work as a reference to decking, 'hey, I was diving through this really drek system the other day', but other than that...
RunnerPaul
Another one that crossed my mind:
Digital Dreamers
mfb
i've been wanting deckers and riggers to use the same playing field for a while, now. i'm talking about crazy.
Fortune
QUOTE (mfb)
i've been wanting deckers and riggers to use the same playing field for a while, now.

You aren't the only one!
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