Hacker groups are informal communities that began to flourish in the early 1980s, with the advent of the home computer.

Overview

Prior to that time, the term hacker was simply a referral to any computer hobbyist. The hacker groups were out to make names for themselves, and were often spurred on by their own press. This was a heyday of hacking, at a time before there was much law against computer crime. Hacker groups provided access to information and resources, and a place to learn from other members.^[1] Hackers could also gain credibility by being affiliated with an elite group.^[1] The names of hacker groups often parody large corporations, governments, police and criminals;^[2] and often used specialized orthography.^[2]