Here in Malta we have come to associate the word ‘hacker’ with someone who tries to access computers and computer networks without authorisation for a dishonest purpose. However, the term ‘hacker’ or the act of ‘hacking’ originally had a positive meaning and this is how Maltese ‘hackers’ are getting busy.

According to the popular online encyclopaedia Wikipedia, “a hacker is someone who loves to program or who enjoys playful cleverness, or a combination of the two. The act of engaging in activities (such as programming or other media in a spirit of playfulness and exploration) is termed hacking).

However, the defining characteristic of a hacker is not the activities performed themselves (e.g. programming), but the manner in which it is done: hacking entails some form of excellence, for example exploring the limits of what is possible, thereby doing something exciting and meaningful”.

In recent months Maltese computer professionals and enthusiasts have indeed come together to take part in activities called ‘hackatons’ in the spirit of Wikipedia’s definition. One such hackaton was recently organised by members of the Tech-Spark user group at the Microsoft Innovation Centre in SkyParks.

The word hackathon derives from ‘hack’ and ‘marathon’, since generally hackathons usually occur over a period of non-stop work of around 24 to 48 hours.

“Hackathons provide a venue for self-expression and creativity through technology,” explained Jonathan Cassar, an active member of Tech-Spark. “They are a community event in which people with different technology backgrounds and specialisations (programming, design, management, etc) come together, form teams around a problem or an idea, and collaboratively create a solution. The outcome is usually a technology product like an app or a website.”

The Geeklist #Hack4good 0.5 last weekend was a 48-hour international hackaton held in over 40 cities worldwide with over 5,000 of the world’s top developers and designers coming together to make the world a better place. Maltese hackers joined in.

Mr Cassar admits that the negative connotation of ‘hack’ is not just a Maltese phenomenon.

“The term ‘hacker’ gets abused and misused regularly in mainstream media. Hackatons are good because they provide a space for creative and passionate technologists to come together and work together in an informal and fun environment away from sometimes rigid corporate structures.”

Thinking out of the box and outside established structures could be an opportunity for Maltese ICT professionals to strengthen their skills.

“I believe that young Maltese ICT workers have a lot of talent and are a great resource for the country; they have the privilege of being digital natives. However, they also need to delve deeper into how things work under the hood and not just stop with using high-level interfaces.

“While these are good for productivity because they simplify work, the ICT professional in order to be truly effective also needs a good understanding of the underlying infrastructures.  I think that the not-so-young ICT professionals have a lot of experience to share with the younger generation as well.

“All ICT professionals need to collaborate more closely through community interaction and come together to promote further creativity and innovation.  They also need to be the enablers of business growth, by applying the technology to serve the needs of the business,” added the young member of Tech-Spark.

The term ‘hacker’ gets abused and misused regularly in mainstream media all over the world

Apart from hackatons, local user groups such as Tech-Spark provide an opportunity to learn from each other. This particular group has been active for quite a few years now and is open to ICT professionals who are interested in gaining and sharing knowledge in Microsoft technologies through networking and education, and contributing towards the growth of the local ICT industry. The user group is led by a number of individuals who come from various companies in the ICT sector, who share a common passion for technology.

“ICT professionals of today are living in an exciting time which is seeing great leaps in technology and waves of innovation. We have a responsibility to make the best out of these arising opportunities, in the interest of future generations,” concluded Mr Cassar.