# The Jargon File: hacker slang and DIY punk parallels > The Jargon File, or New Hacker's Dictionary, is a lexicon of early hacker slang. We look at its origins, its maintainers and its DIY ethos. - Source: https://menvafan.net/geek/hackers-dictionary-jargon-file/ - Section: Geek - Language: en - Published: 2026-10-17 - Updated: 2026-10-17 **In short:** The Jargon File is a glossary of hacker slang — words like hack, gronk, foo, flame, wizard and luser — that began at Stanford's Artificial Intelligence Lab (SAIL) and MIT in the 1970s, compiled by people who were part of that culture. It circulated informally for years before becoming The Hacker's Dictionary (1983) and, under editor Eric S. Raymond, The New Hacker's Dictionary (1991, 1993, 1996), published by MIT Press. The online version is hosted at catb.org. ## A lexicon of the lab and the terminal The Jargon File is a glossary of hacker slang: words like *hack*, *gronk*, *foo*, *flame*, *wizard* and *loser* (as in *luser*). It began life at Stanford's Artificial Intelligence Lab (SAIL) and MIT in the 1970s, made by Raphael Finkel at Stanford in 1975 and expanded by contributors from those communities. It is not a dictionary of computing terms; it is a dictionary of how hackers talked to each other, argued, joked and defined themselves. That makes it a rare primary source for early hacker culture. The file circulated informally for years, passed around on tapes and printouts, before being edited into book form as *The Hacker's Dictionary* (1983) and later *The New Hacker's Dictionary* (1991, 1993, 1996), edited by Eric S. Raymond. The online version lives at [http://www.catb.org/jargon/](http://www.catb.org/jargon/). ## Who kept it, and how The early file was a collective effort, with contributions and edits from figures around SAIL and MIT. Guy L. Steele Jr. is credited with compiling an early version, and Raphael Finkel and Mark Crispin were among those who maintained it at various points. Later, Eric S. Raymond took on the editorship and expanded it substantially, adding entries and commentary. The New Hacker's Dictionary was published by MIT Press, with Raymond as the credited editor. The important thing is that it was never a top-down project. It was a shared document, edited by people who were part of the community it described. That is worth noting: the Jargon File is not an anthropologist's account of hackers. It is hackers writing about themselves, for themselves, with all the in-jokes and grudges that implies. ## What it tells us about early hacker culture Read the Jargon File and you get a picture of a culture that was self-aware, argumentative and deeply invested in its own folklore. Entries like *hacker ethic*, *scratch monkey*, *moby* and *retrocomputing* sketch a world of shared values: hands-on problem solving, distrust of authority, contempt for bureaucracy, and a belief that information should be free. The file also documents the culture's dark side, including the *flame war* and the *loser* (or *luser*) mentality, which could be elitist and unwelcoming. Crucially, the file shows that hacker culture had its own oral history. Stories about *the Mad Hatter*, *the Unknown Hacker* and various pranks and legends are recorded alongside technical terms. That is what makes it feel like a zine: it is a record of a scene, written by the scene, with a strong sense of its own identity and a suspicion of outsiders. ## The DIY overlap with punk Punk and early hacker culture emerged in roughly the same decade, and both were built on DIY ethics: make it yourself, share it, don't wait for permission. The Jargon File captures that ethos in its emphasis on *hacking* as playful, clever work, and in its celebration of *kluges* and *hacks* over official solutions. The parallels are not exact. Hacker culture was often academic and male-dominated; punk was more working-class and mixed. But both valued the homemade, the improvised and the communal. Both had their own vocabularies, their own heroes and their own contempt for the mainstream. And both produced documents like this one: self-published, passed around, constantly revised. If you want a sense of the overlap, look at the file's entry for *hack*: it includes the idea of a hack as a quick, clever solution, but also as a prank or a piece of playful cleverness. That is not far from the punk idea of doing something yourself, badly perhaps, but on your own terms. ## Where to find it The Jargon File is available online at [http://www.catb.org/jargon/](http://www.catb.org/jargon/). The book editions are out of print but easy to find second-hand. For context, the Wikipedia article on the Jargon File is a reasonable starting point: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jargon_File](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jargon_File). ## FAQ ### What is the Jargon File? It is a glossary of hacker slang — terms such as hack, gronk, foo, flame, wizard and luser — rather than a dictionary of computing terms. It documents how hackers talked to each other, argued, joked and defined themselves. ### When and where did the Jargon File start? It began at Stanford's Artificial Intelligence Lab (SAIL) and MIT in the 1970s. It circulated informally for years on tapes and printouts before being edited into book form. ### Who edited the Jargon File? Guy L. Steele Jr. is credited with compiling an early version, and Raphael Finkel and Mark Crispin were among those who maintained it at various points. Eric S. Raymond later took on the editorship and expanded it substantially. ### Where can I read the Jargon File today? The online version lives at http://www.catb.org/jargon/. The book editions are out of print but easy to find second-hand.