Computer software wizards from near and far will camp at the Silicon Valley headquarters of Internet search titan Yahoo next week for an overnight "hack-a-thon" in the spirit of innovation.
SAN FRANCISCO: Computer software wizards from near and far will camp at the Silicon Valley headquarters of Internet search titan Yahoo next week for an overnight hack-a-thon in the spirit of innovation.
Yahoo heralded the 24-hour programming free-for-all as its first public Hack Day and said it was an extension of no-holds-barred software tinkering events that the company's engineers take part in internally.
The gathering was meant to inspire new twists on Yahoo services as well as reclaim hacker as a name for those adept at manipulating software in creative, not malicious, ways, said Yahoo network developer director Chad Dickerson.
"A hacker is someone who really knows how to build things with computers, not destroy things," Dickerson said. "Within the Yahoo development community to be called a hacker, is a badge of honor."
Those who try to break into computer networks, spread malicious software such as viruses or commit other nefarious online deeds are more appropriately referred to as black hats instead of hackers, according to Dickerson.
Software developers from Canada and throughout the United States were to pitch tents at the Yahoo campus in Sunnyvale, California, on September 29 and hack away at the company's programmes, which will be provided.
They were free to work in teams or solo with their only obligation being that they demonstrate their creations for the group when the provided 24 hours expire.
"There are some major products coming that were conceived and built at hack days," Dickerson said. "We can't wait to tell people."
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