Characteristics of the computer elite:

  
       beginner        - insecure with the concept of a terminal
                       - has yet to learn the basics of vi
                       - has not figured out how to get a directory
                       - still has trouble with typing  after each
                         line of input

       novice          - knows that ls will produce a directory
                       - uses the editor, but calls it `vye'
                       - has heard of C but never used it
                       - has had his first bad experience with rm
                       - is wondering how to read his mail
                       - is wondering why the person next to him seems to like 
          		 Unix so very much
 
       user            - uses vi and nroff, but inexpertly
                       - has heard of regular-expressions but never seen one.
                       - has figured out that `-' precedes options
                       - has attempted to write a C program and has decided to 
    			 stick with pascal
                       - is wondering how to move a directory
                       - thinks that dbx is a brand of stereo component
                       - knows how to read his mail and is wondering how to 
		  	 read the news

       knowledgable    - uses nroff with no trouble, and is beginning
       user              to learn tbl and eqn
	               - uses grep to search for fixed strings
                       - has figured out that mv will move directories
                       - has learned that learn doesn't help
                       - somebody has shown him how to write C programs
                       - once used sed to do some text substitution
                       - has seen dbx used but does not use it himself
                       - thinks that make is only for wimps

       expert          - uses sed when necessary
                       - uses macros in vi, uses ex when neccesary
                       - posts news at every possible opportunity
                       - write csh scripts occasionally
                       - write C programs using vi and compiles with cc
                       - has figured out what `&&' and `||' are for
                       - thinks that human history started with '!h'

       hacker          - uses sed and awk with comfort
                       - uses undocumented features of vi
                       - write C code with `cat >' and compiles with '!cc'
                       - uses adb because he doesn't trust source debuggers
                       - can answer questions about the user environment
                       - writes his own nroff macros to supplement std. ones
                       - write scripts for Bourne shell (/bin/sh)
                       - knows how to install bug fixes

       guru            - uses m4 and lex with comfort
                       - writes assembly code with `cat >'
                       - uses adb on the kernel while system is loaded
                       - customizes utilities by patching the source
                       - reads device driver source with his breakfast
                       - can answer any unix question after a little thought
                       - uses make for anything that requires two or more
                         distinct commands to achieve
                       - has learned how to breach security but no longer
                         needs to try

       wizard          - writes device drivers with `cat >'
                       - fixes bugs by patching the binaries
                       - can answer any question before you ask
                       - writes his own troff macro packages
                       - is on first-name basis with Dennis, Bill, and Ken

       demigod         - *is* Dennis, Bill, or Ken
                       - has transcended UNIX to move on to higher planes