I am too bad at programming to be called a hacker, but I do have approx. 50 floppy disks
@vaporeon_ They're different skills.
@ashly I think I'm using the definition from here:
HACKER noun.
A person who enjoys learning the details of computer systems and how to stretch their capabilities -- as opposed to most users of computers, who prefer learn only the minimum amount necessary.
One who programs enthusiastically, or who enjoys programming rather than just theorizing about programming.
A person capable of appreciating HACK VALUE.
A person who is good at programming quickly. (By the way, not everything a hacker produces is a hack).
An expert on a particular program, or one who frequently does work using it or on it. Example: "A SAIL hacker". (This definition and the preceding ones are correlated, and people who fit them congregate).
An expert of any kind. One might be an astronomy hacker, for example.
A malicious or inquisitive meddler who tries to discover information by poking around. For example, a "password hacker" is one who tries, possibly by deceptive or illegal means, to discover other people's computer passwords. A "network hacker" is one who tries to learn about the computer network (possibly because he wants to improve it or possibly because he wants to interfere -- one can tell the difference only by context and tone of voice).
@ashly I am not good at programming quickly, nor an expert on any computer program
@vaporeon_ There seem to be a lot of different possible definitions, but you can think of it like this way:
Sarah did better at reverse engineering (hacking) the games than you might've been able to, and you did a better job implementing a program to modify the program based on her documentation than she could've. She would've taken much longer too.
@ashly I do not remember what I did, but it probably was bad, as otherwise I would've remembered what I did
@vaporeon_ It worked well enough that she wants to reuse your file code in other future projects.
@vaporeon_ For that matter, even if it could've been done "better", so what? The best version of the thing isn't what matters, it's whichever one succeeds at its task.
@ashly I want my code to be good and not ugly and not slow because I care about being a good programmer who writes good code
@vaporeon_ @ashly i learned once i started writing code professionally that obsessing too much on code quality is paralyzing. its important to write something that works and make sure not to waste too much time making it quality
its like being an artist. if artists didnt release anything until it was "perfect" we wouldn't see anything at all. at some point getting it out there is more important that making it perfect
@wallhackio @vaporeon_ In fact, you should be proud that you can write code with your own brain and understand it. (This is coming from someone ambivalent about computer touching.) Because too many people think "vibe coding" is not only acceptable but "the future of programming" or some shit.
@wallhackio @vaporeon_ This is one thing we need to work at. We're embarrassed by our poor quality scribbles that are supposed to be drawing, or the incomprehensible noise that results when we try to make music.
But we should try to do these things anyway and release a game with our horrible art and audio. Especially because it will obviously be human, as opposed to genai shit.