[M.K. THOMPSON] Where did all the hacking go?

Hacking has been getting a lot of attention lately.

Websites such as Engadget.com and Wired.com regularly feature clever hacks by academics and hobbyists alike. In July 2008, IEEE published a special issue of Pervasive Computing Magazine entitled "Hacking is Pervasive" which discussed everything from hacking Wii remotes to more theoretical discussions of hacking and "opportunistic" design. In October 2008, the Discovery Channel aired a new show called "Prototype This!" which featured engineers hacking inventions of the future. This summer, KAIST even offered a course in Ubiquitous Hacking as part of its International Summer School Program taught by MIT Media Lab graduate and Discovery Channel host Dr. Zoz Brooks.



The introduction of the Pervasive Computing issue defines hacking as "interacting with a computer or any other technology-infused system in a playful or exploratory way, or modifying an existing system (hardware, mechanical or software) to improve performance or create an application that differs from the device`s original purpose." This is the original meaning of the term. It should not be confused with malicious acts of breaking into computer systems (which hackers refer to as "cracking" ) or with pulling technologically sophisticated pranks (especially at MIT). Hacking is meant to be constructive. A good hack will be clever, entertaining, useful and harmless.

Much of the hacking in the media today involves electronics and some experts have hypothesized that the emergence of open source communities and the availability of information on the internet has helped to spur the movement. It`s pretty cool. But is hacking really pervasive?

In some ways, hacking in its original sense is probably less pervasive today than it was 50 years ago.

Most of the freshman entering university today have never built anything from scratch. Few have taken things apart to see how they worked or tried to fix them, let alone modify them. Even engineering graduate students sometimes have little or no experience in building things and making them work.

There are a number of factors that may be responsible for this trend. Technology is much more advanced today than it was 50 years ago. In the 1960s, people regularly performed repairs and routine maintenance on their automobiles. Today, automobiles are too complex for most people to fix themselves.

Business practices and strategies have had a major influence on the decline of hacking as well. In the past, when a household appliance broke, it could be easily disassembled, mended and put back together. Today, many products, including cars, are intentionally difficult to fix. They must be taken to an authorized service center or returned to the manufacturer for repair. In many cases, the manufacturer does not want you to repair a broken product -- they want you to buy a new one.

Even toys are affected. "Educational" construction toys have become increasingly specialized with pirates, castles, spaceships and other accessories. The educational value of these kits and the amount of creativity needed to play with them decreases as more and more play sets are introduced. But the themed components create a constant need to purchase new accessories and ensure a steady income for the supplier. The desire for profit outweighs the need for exploration.

Our educational system has also changed. Gone are the days when every high school had a wood shop, when every mechanical engineering department had a metal shop, and when every metallurgy (now material science) department had a foundry. Shops are expensive to build, expensive to maintain and come with the dangers of operating heavy machinery. As a result, hands-on education is disappearing little by little.

Education has also become more theoretical. Today, engineering schools focus on teaching the theoretical fundamentals of engineering (statics and strength of materials, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, etc.). These curriculum choices often come at the expense of practical applications and hands-on learning. This is not limited to universities. High school chemistry labs are rapidly disappearing as well.

Finally, the value that society places on education is greater today than it was 50 years ago. More students attend college today than ever before. Thus, grades, standardized test scores, and entrance exam scores are increasingly important in the admissions process. As a result, many parents discourage their children from pursuing hacking-related hobbies and encourage them to focus on their studies instead without realizing that the two are often related.

I find it odd that something that was once so natural, necessary and prevalent in society is slowly becoming the realm of artists and the academic elite. Hacking is part of the innovation process. It fuels invention. It thrives on improvement. And it inspires others to do the same.

Hacking should not be a curiosity on television. It should spring from the burning curiosity of the young and young-at-heart everywhere.