ABSTRACT
In the early days of computing, a great deal of software was developed through a gift economy in university settings. Hackers shared. That was the sacred ethic. As fanatics who followed their passions to create the best, most ingenious software, hackers saw themselves as members of an elite underground community. They took pleasure in creating cool things for one another's delight. Naturally, the programs that everyone helped invent, debug, and extend were seen as a shared product of the community.
