h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

"Hackers", sadly, was the last non-derogatory, let-alone desirable, term for programmers. It got corrupted in the early 1980's by the media to mean "cracker". I'm none too happy about this as I started programming in 1980 as a young hopeful 14 year old and aspired to become known as a hacker... which I now consider myself as being, it is a vital part of my identity, but one I can't speak of because it would be taken in the wrong way. A hacker (in the early 80's definition) was:-
someone you could always depend on to come-up with a solution, even when official computer companies said it could not be done. Someone who would come-up with radical ways of using computers... and would usually have to develop winning prototypes in their lunch hour because their boss just wouldn't beleive it would work and allocate proper development time. He/she is a professional and an enthusiast...so they would always have the edge on just professionals no matter how qualified. Hackers (although they can no longer be called that) will always be at the cutting edge of computers.... just look for the cutting edge and that's where you'll find them!