cyberpunk

/si:berpuhnk/ , n.,adj. [orig. 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 (see the Bibliography in Appendix C) 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 nave 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.

