In
computer slang
Internet slang (also called Internet shorthand, cyber-slang, netspeak, digispeak or chatspeak) is a non-standard or unofficial form of language used by people on the Internet to communicate to one another. An example of Internet slang is ":wikt: ...
, J. Random Hacker is an arbitrary
programmer (
hacker
A hacker is a person skilled in information technology who uses their technical knowledge to achieve a goal or overcome an obstacle, within a computerized system by non-standard means. Though the term ''hacker'' has become associated in popu ...
).
"J. Random Hacker" is a popular
placeholder name
Placeholder names are words that can refer to things or people whose names do not exist, are temporarily forgotten, are not relevant to the salient point at hand, are to avoid stigmatization, are unknowable/unpredictable in the context in wh ...
in a number of books and articles in programming. J. Random Hacker even authored a book about ease of malicious hacking, ''Adventures of a Wi-Fi Pirate''. Also, ''J. Random Hacker'' was a main developer of
I2P
The Invisible Internet Project (I2P) is an anonymous network layer (implemented as a mix network) that allows for censorship-resistant, peer-to-peer communication. Anonymous connections are achieved by encrypting the user's traffic (by using ...
software.
Over time, J. Random X has become a popular
cliché or
snowclone
A snowclone is a cliché and phrasal template that can be used and recognized in multiple variants. The term was coined as a neologism in 2004, derived from journalistic clichés that referred to the number of Inuit words for snow.
History and ...
in computer lore, with more types of "
random
In common usage, randomness is the apparent or actual lack of pattern or predictability in events. A random sequence of events, symbols or steps often has no order and does not follow an intelligible pattern or combination. Individual ra ...
" (meaning "arbitrary") categories of people, such as "J. Random
Newbie
Newbie, newb, noob, noobie, n00b or nub is a slang term for a novice or newcomer, or somebody inexperienced in a profession or activity. Contemporary use can particularly refer to a beginner or new user of computers, often concerning Internet ac ...
", J. Random User,
[''TCP/IP Clearly Explained'', by Peter Loshin]
p. 116
/ref> or J. Random Luser
Before the popularization of the Internet in the 1990s, Internet slang defined a luser (sometimes expanded to local user; also luzer or luzzer) as a painfully annoying, stupid, or irritating computer user.p. 214
The word is a blend of "loser" ...
.
See also
* Alice and Bob
Alice and Bob are fictional characters commonly used as placeholders in discussions about cryptographic systems and protocols, and in other science and engineering literature where there are several participants in a thought experiment. The Al ...
, placeholder names often used when discussing computer security
* Acme Corporation
The ACME Corporation is a name for the fictional corporation appearing in various Warner Bros. cartoon shorts, where it was used as a running gag due to their wide array of products that are dangerous, unreliable or preposterous.
Origin
The ...
, placeholder name often used to describe a company
References
Internet slang
Computer humor
Placeholder names
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hacker, J. Random