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The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (foldoc)

/si:'ber-puhnk/ (Originally coined by SF writer Bruce Bethke
and/or editor Gardner Dozois) A subgenre of SF launched in
1982 by William Gibson's epoch-making novel "Neuromancer"
(though its roots go back through Vernor Vinge's "True Names"
to John Brunner's 1975 novel "The Shockwave Rider"). Gibson's
near-total ignorance of computers and the present-day hacker
culture enabled him to speculate about the role of computers
and hackers in the future in ways hackers have since found
both irritatingly na"ive and tremendously stimulating.
Gibson's work was widely imitated, in particular by the
short-lived but innovative "Max Headroom" TV series. See
{cyberspace}, {ice}, {jack in}, {go flatline}.

Since 1990 or so, popular culture has included a movement or
fashion trend that calls itself "cyberpunk", associated
especially with the rave/techno subculture. Hackers have
mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, self-described
cyberpunks too often seem to be shallow trendoids in black
leather who have substituted enthusiastic blathering about
technology for actually learning and *doing* it. Attitude is
no substitute for competence. On the other hand, at least
cyberpunks are excited about the right things and properly
respectful of hacking talent in those who have it. The
general consensus is to tolerate them politely in hopes that
they'll attract people who grow into being true hackers.

[{Jargon File}]