History Main / PlayfulHacker

* Seto Kaiba from ''Anime/YuGiOh''. He could also fall under TheCracker, but technically, the few times we see him hacking, he's helping out the good guys.

* Ran Musen the genius programmer from ''{{R-15}}''.

* Ed from ''Anime/CowboyBebop'' currently pictured above.

* Helba from ''DotHack''. She is considered a criminal due to the fact that hacking is a captial crime after Pluto's kiss, but does it entirely for fun and to protect the online game "The World".

* The NSA has their own department of white hat hackers that constantly test their own systems.

* Kazari Uiharu in ''Manga/ToAruKagakuNoRailgun''. In the hacker underground, she goes by the pseudonym "Goalkeeper", and is highly respected.

* Matt from ''Manga/DeathNote'' is often depicted as this in the fandom.

* Though it did not involve computers, the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Headroom_broadcast_signal_intrusion_incident Max Headroom broadcast hijacker]] still applies. The incident occurred in 1987 when a guy dressed like MaxHeadroom was able to get into the signals of WGN and PBS and broadcast his [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sM7Q1WiepoQ&feature=related surreal]] [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWdgAMYjYSs video.]]

As opposed to the malicious [[TheCracker Cracker]] who uses his computer skills for profit and mayhem, the Playful Hacker normally wants nothing more than to explore new territory on the Net and learn new things. Sometimes he plays harmless pranks which can cause clueless authority figures to confuse him with his dark counterpart. Even when his actions are not strictly legal, though, his intentions and presence are almost always benign -- even heroic. [[http://catb.org/jargon/html/H/hacker.html This is what "hacker" used to mean, before mass media mutated it]].

When a Playful Hacker and a [[TheCracker Cracker]] collide on the Net, it's always the Playful Hacker whom authorities pursue first, a plot complication which puts additional pressure on the Playful Hacker [[ClearMyName to track down the Cracker]], the true culprit. When the final face-off comes, though, it's going to be the Playful Hacker versus the TheCracker at high noon at the [[StealthPun 0K]] Corral with virtual six-guns.

The Playful Hacker usually owns a MagicalComputer, which allows him or [[{{Hackette}} her]] to do all manner of things impossible to normal computers and users, especially when engaging in RapidFireTyping. (See HollywoodHacking.)

* David Lightman, Matthew Broderick's character in the movie ''WarGames'', is a Playful Hacker whose attempts to preview games nearly causes a global nuclear war.

* Creator/CoryDoctorow's book ''Literature/LittleBrother'' centers around a group of Playful Hacker characters as they are caught and detained under suspicion of a terrorist attack. Interestingly, TheCracker isn't even represented in the book -- it's the Playful Hacker versus the evil Homeland Security.

** As of ''The Science of Discworld II'', Hex has also joined the Playful Hacker ranks, as it's hooked up to the semaphore network, has cracked their operations codes, and can slip messages onto the network for free, passing them off as internal signalling. So far as we know, it's only done this to save the UU faculty the expense of sending c-mail messages.

** Most of the members of Genius Squad are Playful Hackers, though Hamish Primrose would be the best example.

* Mac on ''Series/VeronicaMars'': a Playful Hacker with the tendency toward being a bit of a [[TheCracker Cracker]]. She's helpful to Veronica in solving cases, but as Veronica herself operates outside the law for profit, Mac does the same.
* Penelope Garcia from ''Series/CriminalMinds'' would appear to have been this for a few years before being recruited by the FBI. (Recruited, very possibly, as in [[BoxedCrook "volunteer, or else."]])

* Frohike and Langley of ''Series/TheXFiles'' and ''The Lone Gunmen'' would seem to qualify.
* Though ''Series/GeneralHospital's'' Spinelli is portrayed as this by friends, he's a lot closer to the [[TheCracker Cracker]] archetype.

* Penelope Garcia from ''CriminalMinds'' would appear to have been this for a few years before being recruited by the FBI. (Recruited, very possibly, as in [[BoxedCrook "volunteer, or else."]])

* Frohike and Langley of ''TheXFiles'' and ''The Lone Gunmen'' would seem to qualify.
* Though ''GeneralHospital's'' Spinelli is portrayed as this by friends, he's a lot closer to the [[TheCracker Cracker]] archetype.

-->-- ''WarGames''

As opposed to the malicious [[TheCracker Cracker]] who uses his computer skills for profit and mayhem, the PlayfulHacker normally wants nothing more than to explore new territory on the Net and learn new things. Sometimes he plays harmless pranks which can cause clueless authority figures to confuse him with his dark counterpart. Even when his actions are not strictly legal, though, his intentions and presence are almost always benign -- even heroic. [[http://catb.org/jargon/html/H/hacker.html This is what "hacker" used to mean, before mass media mutated it]].

When a PlayfulHacker and a [[TheCracker Cracker]] collide on the Net, it's always the PlayfulHacker whom authorities pursue first, a plot complication which puts additional pressure on the Playful Hacker [[ClearMyName to track down the Cracker]], the true culprit. When the final face-off comes, though, it's going to be the Playful Hacker versus the TheCracker at high noon at the [[StealthPun 0K]] Corral with virtual six-guns.

The PlayfulHacker usually owns a MagicalComputer, which allows him or [[{{Hackette}} her]] to do all manner of things impossible to normal computers and users, especially when engaging in RapidFireTyping. (See HollywoodHacking.)

* David Lightman, Matthew Broderick's character in the movie ''WarGames'', is a PlayfulHacker whose attempts to preview games nearly causes a global nuclear war.

* Creator/CoryDoctorow's book ''Literature/LittleBrother'' centers around a group of PlayfulHacker characters as they are caught and detained under suspicion of a terrorist attack. Interestingly, TheCracker isn't even represented in the book -- it's the PlayfulHacker versus the evil Homeland Security.

** As of ''The Science of Discworld II'', Hex has also joined the PlayfulHacker ranks, as it's hooked up to the semaphore network, has cracked their operations codes, and can slip messages onto the network for free, passing them off as internal signalling. So far as we know, it's only done this to save the UU faculty the expense of sending c-mail messages.

** Most of the members of Genius Squad are [[PlayfulHacker playful hackers]], though Hamish Primrose would be the best example.

* Mac on ''VeronicaMars'': a PlayfulHacker with the tendency toward being a bit of a [[TheCracker Cracker]]. She's helpful to Veronica in solving cases, but as Veronica herself operates outside the law for profit, Mac does the same.

* CoryDoctorow's book ''Literature/LittleBrother'' centers around a group of PlayfulHacker characters as they are caught and detained under suspicion of a terrorist attack. Interestingly, TheCracker isn't even represented in the book -- it's the PlayfulHacker versus the evil Homeland Security.

** Between the events of ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' and ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'', Cerberus attempts to regain control of the ''Normandy'' after Shepard cuts off ties with them. [[spoiler:Unshackled]] EDI's response? Spamming the Cerberus hackers with ''seven zettabytes'' of porn...from Joker's PornStash.

* The three guys who make up "The Smoking Gnu" in ''[[Literature/{{Discworld}} Going Postal]]''. This being the Discworld, they hack the semaphore-driven "clacks" network, which is a telecommunications system, but without the electricity.
** The Smoking Gnu are more [[PlayfulHacker Playful Hackers]] turned [[TheCracker Crackers]], as they use tricks they originally discovered while playing around with the mechanisms to [[spoiler: work out how to physically destroy the entire network of clacks with a message. It should be noted that they don't actually enact that plan.]].

** By the bytes, it all makes sense! Enzo is some edutainment software, whilst Fong is the kernel.

See also: EverythingIsOnline, ItsASmallNetAfterAll, MagicalDatabase.

** His younger brother is this as well.

* Chisame from ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima'' falls under this when she's not being the [[MetaGuy Meta Girl]].
** Eventually, her hacking skills literally become magical when she gains [[MagicalGirl magical girl powers]].

* Christina Sierra from ''{{Gundam 00}}'' and Hilde Schbeiker from ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing'' were hinted to be these, [[InformedAbility but we didn't get to see many results]].

* [[Manga/AxisPowersHetalia Russia]] is mentioned in the 2010 Bloodbath and Fantasia 2 as "tinkering" with his computer.

* The way [[ClassyCatBurglar Kasumi Goto]] meets [[PlayerCharacter Commander Shepard]] in ''MassEffect2'' is by hacking an advertisement machine to talk to him/her.

** The crew of the ''Normandy'' is joined in ''MassEffect3'' by Samantha Traynor, who among other things enjoys strategy games and manages to impress EDI with her ability to sift through data to track a Cerberus shuttle.

* Penelope Garcia is the quirky and eccentric VoiceWithAnInternetConnection for the team in CriminalMinds. She works for the FBI because she compromised sensitive data and ended up in serious trouble for it, and was offered the opportunity to use her skills helping the FBI in criminal investigations.

* ''You'' in {{Uplink}}, if you so choose. Hack someone's academic record and give him nonsense degrees! Change their status from "Single" to "Married" or even to "Deceased" for no particular reason. Hack into the bank and steal exactly ''one credit'' [[ItAmusedMe just because you can]].