If you are a beginner in the art called Hacking then it is the ultimate hacking FAQ you must go with.
Eric S. Raymond share his views on the most popular questions among the beginners. This FAQ will definitely help you to clear the picture of hacking culture if you are really serious with this Art.
Feeling Excited ?? keep reading folks......
HACKING FAQ :
Q: How do I tell if I am already a hacker?
A: Ask yourself the following three questions:
- Do you speak code, fluently?
- Do you identify with the goals and values of the hacker community?
- Has a well-established member of the hacker community ever called you a hacker?
If you can answer yes to all three of these questions, you are already a hacker. No two alone are sufficient.
Q: Will you teach me how to hack?
A: Since first publishing this page, I've gotten several requests a week (often several a day) from people to "teach me all about hacking". Unfortunately, I don't have the time or energy to do this; my own hacking projects, and working as an open-source advocate, take up 110% of my time.
Even if I did, hacking is an attitude and skill you basically have to teach yourself. You'll find that while real hackers want to help you, they won't respect you if you beg to be spoon-fed everything they know.
Learn a few things first. Show that you're trying, that you're capable of learning on your own. Then go to the hackers you meet with specific questions.
Q: How can I get started, then?
A: The best way for you to get started would probably be to go to a LUG (Linux user group) meeting. You can find such groups on the
LDP General Linux Information Page; there is probably one near you, possibly associated with a college or university. LUG members will probably give you a Linux if you ask, and will certainly help you install one and get started.
Q: When do you have to start? Is it too late for me to learn?
A: Any age at which you are motivated to start is a good age. Most people seem to get interested between ages 15 and 20, but I know of exceptions in both directions.
Q: How long will it take me to learn to hack?
A: That depends on how talented you are and how hard you work at it. Most people who try can acquire a respectable skill set in eighteen months to two years, if they concentrate. Don't think it ends there, though; in hacking (as in many other fields) it takes about ten years to achieve mastery. And if you are a real hacker, you will spend the rest of your life learning and perfecting your craft.
Q: Would you help me to crack a system, or teach me how to crack?
A: No. Anyone who can still ask such a question after reading this FAQ is too stupid to be educable even if I had the time for tutoring. Any emailed requests of this kind that I get will be ignored or answered with extreme rudeness.
Q: I've been cracked. Will you help me fend off further attacks?
A: No. Every time I've been asked this question so far, it's been from some poor sap running Microsoft Windows. It is not possible to effectively secure Windows systems against crack attacks; the code and architecture simply have too many flaws, which makes securing Windows like trying to bail out a boat with a sieve. The only reliable prevention starts with switching to Linux or some other operating system that is designed to at least be capable of security.
Q: I'm having problems with my Windows software. Will you help me?
A: Yes. Go to a DOS prompt and type "format c:". Any problems you are experiencing will cease within a few minutes.
Q: Where can I find some real hackers to talk with?
A: The best way is to find a Unix or Linux user's group local to you and go to their meetings (you can find links to several lists of user groups on the
LDP site at ibiblio).
(I used to say here that you wouldn't find any real hackers on IRC, but I'm given to understand this is changing. Apparently some real hacker communities, attached to things like GIMP and Perl, have IRC channels now.)
Q: Can you recommend useful books about hacking-related subjects?
For an introduction to Python, see the
tutorial on the Python site.
Q: What language should I learn first?
A: XHTML (the latest dialect of HTML) if you don't already know it. There are a lot of glossy, hype-intensive bad HTML books out there, and distressingly few good ones. The one I like best is
HTML: The Definitive Guide.
But HTML is not a full programming language. When you're ready to start programming, I would recommend starting with
Python. You will hear a lot of people recommending Perl, but it's harder to learn and (in my opinion) less well designed.
C is really important, but it's also much more difficult than either Python or Perl. Don't try to learn it first.
Windows users, do not settle for Visual Basic. It will teach you bad habits, and it's not portable off Windows. Avoid.
Q: I want to contribute. Can you help me pick a problem to work on?
A: No, because I don't know your talents or interests. You have to be self-motivated or you won't stick, which is why having other people choose your direction almost never works.
Try searching on web for projects. When you see one that makes you think "Cool! I'd like to work on that!", join it. check
Freshmeat
Q: Where can I get a free Unix?
A: If you don't have a Unix installed on your machine yet, elsewhere on this page I include pointers to where to get the most commonly used free Unix. To be a hacker you need motivation and initiative and the ability to educate yourself. Start now...
by Eric S Raymond (UNKNOWN MODIFICATION by H4CK3R)
You can buy me a Drink if you like this post.. :P
