cyberpunk /si:'ber-puhnk/ 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
naïve 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.