[UmaroVI]

There are various options for using Logic directly in hacking; unfortunately none of them are particularly good ideas.

I'm guessing you mean the "Tweaking the Rules" optional rules from Unwired pg39?
It suggests using Logic to replace program in the hacking test, and then using the program's rating as maximum number of hits. (eg. To crash a program instead of Hacking + Exploit, you roll Hacking + Logic. But if you only have an Exploit 3 program, you can't score over 3 hits.)
Or alternatively, you can reverse it: You still roll Hacking+Exploit, but limit the maximum number of hits to the character's Logic.

Personally, I don't think that second option is that bad and am strongly considering using it as a houserule, figuring the 65IQ guy just wasn't smart enough to come up with the right program parameters. (Spending edge overrides the rule.)
Why's it so bad?

Mostly in that it interacts very poorly with technomancers. It also just fails to do anything particularly useful and throws in a "fuck you adepts" for no really good reason. It's not very hard to get more Logic than you can get hits unless you're an adept or a non-Logic stream technomancer, so all it really does is make adept hackers cry and make the technomancy balance less good.

[Crash_00]

Since the dice pool cap is a rule applying to attributes, it applies to programs or Matrix attributes instead, ie, your cap is (Program rating + unaugmented skill) x 2

It is not a rule applying to attributes, it is a rule applying to dice pools:

Optionally, gamemasters may choose to cap dice pools (includingmodifiers) at 20 dice, or at twice the sum of the character’s natural Attribute + Skill ratings, whichever is higher.

All rules that apply to attributes apply to programs or Matrix attributes instead.

More importantly, if you use programs/matrix attribute for this, every single metahuman hacker is going to get boned hard. Metahumans have no natural program rating/matrix attributes, so it would be 0+skill in pretty much every case. Unless you can get your skill above ten, you'd always be stuck at 20.

[CanRay]

At one time, Logic was part of the Decking Dice Pool.  It's one of the weaknesses of 4th that it no longer is.

I blame Skript Kiddies.

[Mason]

Warning, lots of possibly BS House-rule ranting ahead.

Honestly, I think that you should just roll Logic plus skill for each hacking task, and each program has to be bought at Rating X. Make X a number that satisfies the GM's need for hackers to spend money. 4 or 5 is probably good. This Rating determines the cost, but is the same for all programs and modifies nothing. Instead, this is just the cost of that program, and how well it does is based on the skils of the hacker, who is assumed to modify it to meet his/her needs. That way, Program rating doesn't matter. You just buy the programs and drop the Rating from what you write.

Then, you can add Program Options to your programs, and expand the program options list massively. Make it possible to have different versions of a program that modify tests in certain ways, like a Biofeedback Filter that has +1 against Black Hammer, but -1 against Blackout, or Armor that has +1 if you are fighting Cybercombat against a "gun" icon (in other words, the reality filter or natural iconography matters). It makes rolling dice simpler, which is nice, and makes hackers better at their jobs without having to spend fortunes on things. It also really makes Logic boosting wares nice for EVERYONE, and enables anyone to pick up a comm and default on hacking tests with a decent dice pool of they have good logic, which makes sense since almost everyone in the Shadowrun world is supposed to have at least SOME familiarity with the Matrix. If they don't, OTOH, it can probably be a negative quality that penalizes Hacking and is notable about the character.

For program degradation, simply impose a cumulative -1 penalty to associated actions as the program becomes out of date, and the usual maintenance or costs gets rid of it.

Keep Ratings for things like IC and Agents, as it makes sense for them, and let their Ratings go to X, where X is the highest number the GM is comfortable with someone having. That corporate black database? Yeah, it has Rating 9 Black IC. Have fun! Their Rating will be their Attribute, and the skill can either be Rating, or the hits on some kind of software design test can be the skill Rating.

[All4BigGuns]

Warning, lots of possibly BS House-rule ranting ahead.

Honestly, I think that you should just roll Logic plus skill for each hacking task, and each program has to be bought at Rating X. Make X a number that satisfies the GM's need for hackers to spend money. 4 or 5 is probably good. This Rating determines the cost, but is the same for all programs and modifies nothing. Instead, this is just the cost of that program, and how well it does is based on the skils of the hacker, who is assumed to modify it to meet his/her needs. That way, Program rating doesn't matter. You just buy the programs and drop the Rating from what you write.

Or just change the dice pool to Logic + Skill + Program instead of just Skill + Program.

[KommissarK]

Perhaps as a house rule, but maybe you could make it such that all hacking tests are skill + attribute, and limit maximum hits to the rating of the program being used.

[Crash_00]

That's actually one of the printed optional rules I believe.

I'm with mason on this one though. The rating system really just doesn't add anything for most programs, it just adds another arbitrary level that then gets used instead of the characters actual assets. Programs could easily work just as a binary have it or don't have it for actions, then have other factors or options tacked on to keep things from getting dull. Of course that would require a reworking of the system entirely almost for deckers, so it probably isn't worth it to most.

[KommissarK]

That's actually one of the printed optional rules I believe.

I'm with mason on this one though. The rating system really just doesn't add anything for most programs, it just adds another arbitrary level that then gets used instead of the characters actual assets. Programs could easily work just as a binary have it or don't have it for actions, then have other factors or options tacked on to keep things from getting dull. Of course that would require a reworking of the system entirely almost for deckers, so it probably isn't worth it to most.

Lol, you're right, just checked Unwired and that's how they recommend the use of attributes. Well it is kind of a natural way to look at it, especially when mirroring the virtual to the astral.

[Tsuzua]

Warning, lots of possibly BS House-rule ranting ahead.

Honestly, I think that you should just roll Logic plus skill for each hacking task, and each program has to be bought at Rating X. Make X a number that satisfies the GM's need for hackers to spend money. 4 or 5 is probably good. This Rating determines the cost, but is the same for all programs and modifies nothing. Instead, this is just the cost of that program, and how well it does is based on the skils of the hacker, who is assumed to modify it to meet his/her needs. That way, Program rating doesn't matter. You just buy the programs and drop the Rating from what you write.

There's a few minor issues like what's the stealth "rating" for a system trying to detect a hacker and the threshold for decrpytions, but you could change them into opposed rolls easily.

While this system can work for hackers, it really messes up Technomancers.  Overthreading is one of their few virtues.  You could make it so that overthreading just provides a bonus.  For example instead of threading your stealth by 4, you get +4 to all your stealth rolls, capped by your resonance.   Threading for a new complex form could be done with a static threshold and/or fade.  The big problem is that logic technomancers just dominant the other brands of technomancers hard due to natural synergy.