Cracking the Code: National Day of Civic Hacking in Middle Georgia

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Instead of wrecking havoc, local computer techs spent the weekend “hacking” for a cause.

Due to the negative connotation now associated with the term “hacking”, local engineers, computer techs and forward thinkers met to change that during National Day of Civic Hacking.

“We’re taking that word and we’re going to redefine it,” said Stephen Finney, the local National Day of Hacking organizer.

Together, the Finney along with a group of citizens, entrepreneurs and software builders used their skills to build civic software for the community. It’s one of hundreds of hacking happenings going on around the world.

For one weekend, the tech savvy citizens are given a challenge to use their software to better society. In Macon, participants brainstormed in an auditorium building websites for future business owners, farmers markets and local high school students.

The ultimate challenge of “Hack for a Change” is to get the computer thinkers of the future to work collaboratively for the entire community; Finney said, “challenge accepted.”