is my son a computer hacker???

Question

is my son a computer hacker???

Answer 1

He's also lying to you - perl is an interpreted language and isn't something that's compiled. And it'd take a hell of a long time to write a perl scrip that would take 4 hours to "compile" anyway. It's also not a language you'd use to run a DDoS attack. He probably saw some cyberpunk movie and is just trying to be cool by using buzz words.

Answer 2

It sounds to me like he is just interested in learning computers.



Your ISP is your Internet Service Provider. Maybe he isn't happy with the one you have because it is too slow or has other limits.



Flash is used on web page for doing things such as animation. Linux is an alternate operating system to Windows.



Perl is just one of many program languages. When you program in some of these languages, you must compile the code into a runable program. This sometimes can take many hours depending on the language you are using and the speed of your computer.



It sounds like you have a budding computer genius on your hands.

Answer 3

No. It means your son is a young man in this day and age just keeping with the times.



Flash is a multimedia programming tool for creating interactive web based animations, apps and games.



Linux is an operating system for the more computer savvy.



PERL is a programming language.



ISPS is your Internet service provider (who you get your internet through, he may want a faster service if your using dial up or aol)



Not saying that he could be a 'hacker' (which is a very loose term by the way but with everything you mention, it's all just normal everyday stuff now.

Answer 4

I say back off, don't say his full name in public and do a little bit of research. Linux should never be called a dangerous hacking system, as it is an operating system, and you need to erase your hard drive every 6 months with Windows. Linux is to be used by people entering the computer world, to high end developers. Erasing your hard drive is not a bad thing. Also, I highly doubt he did hack into the White House servers. If he did, he probably knows how to cover his tracks. Tell him that the course he is following will lead him to a bad place, and that he should use his talent elsewhere.

Answer 5

just wrote this guide to give you some tips of which you may not have heard yet. Hopefully, it won't come to a hacker getting in, but if it does... Tip 1: Hackers cover their tracks. Experienced hackers cover them more thorougly, but amateur hackers sometimes leave things behind.





http://www.tonesall.com/computers-internet/how-to-stop-hackers-how-to-catch-a-hacker.html

Answer 6

he may be learning to become a programmer and programmers make a lot of cash working for the right company



but y DDOS

this is what DDOS means

- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denial-of-service_attack

Answer 7

no he isn't........ you shouldn't worry



he just wants to learn more about computers.........

Answer 8

There's no need to worry. As far as changing isps, your son probably thinks your internet is slow. But as for the rest, he's just learning.

Answer 9

Your son is taking the initiative to learn about computer programing and how it works, these are good things and you should support him in his efforts.

Answer 10

NO he is NOT a hacker. Flash is a program needed to display videos.

Linux is an operating system similar to Windows, or MAC. It is used by computer programmers as the language of choice. The Processor is the hard of the computer and the graphics card displays the picture. A computer programmer can NEVER have a fast enough processor of a fast enough graphic card. (Fact of like in the computer programming world)



He wants to learn computer programming one of the languages is Perl, or C++.



Compiling is a technical term to put the program he made together so it can be used by others.



Someone must write all the programs used and there is GOOD money to be made doing that. Every business has an IT (Instructional Technology) department and they pay programmers extra.



Sounds to me like he is doing OK.



Leaving a computer on overnight will NOT hurt it.

I have had computers on for up to two years running Linux with no problems. Just shut off the monitor.



I work as a supervisor in a tech support office of a Major University. If a student came in to apply for a job and he had been doing what you say your son is doing I would hire him on the spot. I want that student working for me I might even bump up the pay scale to get him.



Encourage him...You never know where the next Bill Gates will come from.

Answer 11

DDoS stands for Distributed Denial of Service. It's a computer crime, which involves instructed a whole load of computers to repeatedly and rapidly make requests to a target, in an attempt to clog up its resources.



That's the bad sort of hacking, known as black hat. Everything else you describe is the good sort of hacking, known as white hat. Perl is a programming language which lets you write programs so the computer will do what you want it to. Compiling is what you need to do to get a program that you've written to be understandable by the computer. Flash is quite a normal program, most computers have it. You need it to access youtube and a lot of other sites on the internet. An ISP is an internet service provider - the company that you get your internet through. Some are faster, cheaper, better, than others. Linux is an alternative to Windows. I use it, because I prefer the options it gives you. Also, almost all software for Linux is free, and legal.



Regarding the DDoS - most security consultants nowadays have a history of blackhat hacking. However, they have progressed beyond it. What you need to do is talk to your son, try and understand what drives him, and help him to understand that what he did was wrong. HOWEVER, be careful not to discourage him from doing good things on computers. You may feel it appropriate to discipline him - I would suggest something like a month ban from using the computer, and limiting his access to the computer to three hours a day for the five months after.

Answer 12

I really don't think you should be worried. but let me break it down



ISPs - Internet Service Provider - This is how you get your internet. Time Warner Cable, AT&T, Earthlink are some of the many ISPs out there. Changing ISPs doesn't do anything except raise/lower your internet cost.



Flash - Odd program? No. 90% of companies and end users (like yourself) use flash. Flash is used in creating websites, online games, ads, and even videos that you watch on the net. Flash is nothing new and is not harmful. It just lets you view stuff on the internet. Like my whole website is flash based. If u didn't have flash you wouldn't be able to view it. Flash is also used to create online photo galleries.



Linux - Hackers program? Most likely not. Linux is not an actual program its an OS (operating system). Linux is just like Windows but its by a different company. Linux actually is much safer then windows, it suffers from less internet attacks, less viruses, and less malware or none! its just an operating system.



If you recently bought a new pc. and if u think he is a hacker ill tell uthis he wouldnt need a new graphics card. hacking isn't about pretty graphics its about coding. Though if u bought a new graphics card. and he is wanting a better one he probably just wants to play recent games. I would not buy a new processor or graphics card. he will just have to wait till this one is outdated.



PERL - Practical Extraction and Reporting Language - Perl was first brought into being by Larry Wall circa 1987 as a general purpose Unix scripting language to make his programming work simpler. Many high-traffic websites, such as bbc.co.uk, Amazon.com, LiveJournal, Ticketmaster and IMDb[20] use Perl extensively.



Perl is often used as a glue language, tying together systems and interfaces that were not specifically designed to interoperate, and for "data munging", i.e., converting or processing large amounts of data for tasks like creating reports.



He might be compling and thats why he might be asking for a faster processor so he doesn't have to leave it on at night. Though he might be making the next best program that i might download someday. BUT he is not a hacker. Though FYI not all hackers are bad there are good hackers out there. and major companies hire these hackers to hack into their own websites to secure them better. I wouldn't worry.



But talk to him see what he is making. be interested in him and not scared of him.

Answer 13

You might wanna further check him out more. DDOS means Distributed Denial of Service. Which causes a flood in someone elses computer system, causing it to shut down. Just check on him more often. See what hes up to.



And almost every computer is installed with normal programs, he might just be updating some. The flash program is just so you can watch videos online. He is probably just learning too. And also, he might be downloading. A long time ago when I downloaded movies, I would leave the computer on all night. I advise you not to do it. Don't let him. For years we have our computer on 24/7, night and day, and our computer is starting to wear out. The language changes, and other things happen too. So just have the computer on when you NEED it.



I really don't think he's hacking, but he might be. Limit his hours on the computer.

Answer 14

No this is what PERL is:



In computer programming, Perl is a high-level, general-purpose, interpreted, dynamic programming language. Perl was originally developed by Larry Wall, a linguist working as a systems administrator for NASA, in 1987, as a general purpose Unix scripting language to make report processing easier.[1][2] Since then, it has undergone many changes and revisions and became widely popular among programmers. Larry Wall continues to oversee development of the core language, and its newest version, Perl 6.



Perl borrows features from other programming languages including C, shell scripting (sh), AWK, sed and Lisp.[3] The language provides powerful text processing facilities without arbitrary data length limits, like the many Unix tools present at the time, [4] making it the ideal language for manipulating text files. It is also used for graphics programming, system administration, network programming, applications that require database access and CGI programming on the Web. Perl is nicknamed as the Swiss Army chainsaw of the programming languages because of its flexibility and adaptability.[5]

Answer 15

changing the ISP is probably because he would like to have better internet speed (i'm 99% shure that this is the reason) linux is an operating system like windows (only its free so you can be happy because he is not involved in piracy) and flash is something necesarry to watch youtube videos for example. i'm 16 and im really into computers too. i do stuff like 3D design and where i live its really hard to find a job in this domain. so just be happy he learns programming instead of playing violent games or watching movies with explicit content (like porn for example). As for the wish of getting a new graphics unit and processor...thats the problem with technology because you always need something better and you can never have the best. whats strange is that as you said you recently bought a family pc...for how long do you have it ? because he learned really fast.

Answer 16

No dont get worried. Linux is good os , not a program!. Flash is an animation program.



plus do not worry he will not become a computer hacker!

I have Linux on my computer and it is great much better than Windows.



Overtime you may need a faster processor or Graphics card

Answer 17

NO, I'm doing the same thing he does. Programming. In fact we might be the same age. You should support him. I make thousands of dollars and I'm only 13. Using programs just like Flash. LOL. I think you should get up to date. :P

Also, Compiling he might mean De-Compiling. It's sort of hacking. But, it's nothing he would get in trouble for. He's just taking files from the internet and turning them into something he could use. It might be understand able if i put it as backwards programming.

Answer 18

Sounds like your son is just learning everything mentioned so far does indicate he is hacking anything. In fact sounds like he is working on being a computer tech or software engineer you should encourage him to keep learning and maybe get him in some vo-tech classes. I am a technical analyst and well that is how i started learning. Messing with Linux reading books breaking and fixing things. I personally think you have nothing to worry about in fact i think it is a good thing he is pro actively learning it should be encouraged.

Answer 19

Compiling is used in computer programs. linux is an operating system, like windows xp is an operating system. i wouldn't worry about him.

Answer 20

the only real thing to worry about is the ddos bit, this is a crime and if cought will be dealt with harshly

Answer 21

Only in the good sense of the word: http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/H/hacker.html

Answer 22

NO. "Knowledge Is Virtue".Reminds me of the days when I started the hunt for knowledge...........

Answer 23

No,he's just learning

Answer 24

No doesnt sound like hacking to me :D

Answer 25

YES!