Hack (Cultural)
From CNUpedia, an IEEE Innovation.
Note: This article has nothing to do with breaking into computers.
A hack is an unusual but peaceful display by students of skill and creativity. The MIT Hack Gallery defines it as "a clever, benign, and 'ethical' prank or practical joke, which is both challenging for the perpetrators and amusing to the MIT community". For example, a dome at MIT was transformed to look like R2D2. Good hacks are safe (doesn't hurt anyone) and good-natured (doesn't target or harrass anyone) but generally anonymous.
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Hacks at CNU
There is a tendency for CNU to be rather silent about that which is unusual. Notice may not travel beyond the limited range of first encounters. An important exception exists within the PCSE department, for the door of one professor is recurringly hacked.
The Fountain
In the central courtyard, adjoining the library, Wingfield, and the administration building lies a fascinating fountain, from which, it appears, three birds are setting off in flight. Not only are they carved into the work itself, but a sound of wing and water issues from its brimming waves. As it happens, one day (Fall 2005) students passed the bold artifice, to see it foaming. Ruling out incipient madness (for the stone was yet stone), it seemed someone had feed it something a little "additive" (but who knows what it is that pours along with the rain from our skies?):
At right, a picture of a foaming fountain.
The Great Tree
The semester of Fall 2005 saw the Great Tree outside of James River a source of mischief. A sign had been affixed, crying out "Save the Tree: Don't Let Them Cut It Down!", promising that drainage problems would be the end of it if people didn't rally. It struck as strange, for though an odd, circular ditch enclosed it at the time, the tree was rather peaceful, healthy, and sheltering to those who climbed into its branches.
The sign WAS rather suspicious from the onset. It had been carefully crafted and printed, and someone had taken the time to hang it by rope from the tree. Also, it was the first anyone seemed to have heard the idea that the tree might be cut down. No petition requests, or anything. It seemed planned and very sudden.
As it turned out, the administration had NO such death-wishes or plans, and indeed, was surprised to hear of the sign at all. Executive Vice President Brauer had it quickly removed, claiming in response to one inquiry that the University would go to lengths to protect it, far from destroying it.
It proved possible to locate the person who made the sign, and it was indeed a mischievous attempt to confound and stir. It was thought that it would be a while before anyone consulted higher administration and that attempts to unravel the problem would require time and redirection. Before the spreading of more confusing information could be contrived, however, the plan was halted by a quick appeal to the VPs.
Benign?
Whether this hack was benign is questionable. It could have easily provoked resentment between students and administration, and there were some people thinking of camping out in its boughs. On the other hand, those who saw the sign were rather mature in not immediately judging.
The Tale of a Dead Bird
Sometime around early October 2005 (or late September), someone left a shoe-box, containing a dead but well-preserved bird inside, at the door of the Frisbee group. It had been gift-wrapped with newspaper, down to a bow, and it had also placed on it, the following poem:
Roses are red This bird is dead But its peace lives on Though its song is gone Please don't be alarmed We mean you no harm And only with love We give you this dove.
The result of this was some worry on the part of the Frisbee Club. In retrospect it appears to have been benign, but there was discussion of whether it was mean in ill will or perhaps not. The complete strangeness of receiving a corpse of a bird and the comments about "harm" and "alarm" made it a possible threat. It was also suggested, however, that perhaps the way in which the Frisbee people were in tune with nature had suggested to some mind that they were the appropriate people to bury a lost child of earth. Unfortunately, even were this the case, they had very little clue or inspiration how to go about it.
One of their friends contacted the Campus Minister about the matter, who offered to lend a hand with was a possible spiritual concern. As it turned out, however, they left it among the falling hairs of the willow tree, until one day it vanished. The end of the story, then, is unknown, but it is likely that the Grounds Crew found it and disposed of it. Too bad.
Siochi's Door
Professor Siochi is known as the Macintosh Guru of the PCSE department. He is considered, in this sense, a rebel against the "overwhelming" power of Microsoft. For this reason, people enjoy converting his doorway (and he no less to have it done) into Microsoft or anti-Macintosh propaganda. In one case, a hack done to his door was counter-hacked with a flaring anti-Microsoft statement. These incidents are extremely amusing to Computer types. It is assumed that no one is really that adamant which is the better, since one should be capable of using and supporting both.
More pictures and information can be gotten at his hacks website.
Study Hall Hack
There was an incident also in which a study hall was converted into a fort. Students saved up cardboard, mostly from pizza boxes, but also used old packaging, which they assembled into a wall. The wall stretched across the length and height of the room, blocking off a portion of space behind. Details of the hall and year are omitted.
See Also
- The MIT Hack Archive: It has pictures, history, and other information about the tradition at MIT.
- Hacks@PCS: A record of hacks perpetrated upon Prof. Siochi's door.
