I think you can usually infer from context what a person means when they say "hacker," and while people over the age of 60 may have difficulty with it, most peo

I think you can usually infer from context what a person means when they say "hacker," and while people over the age of 60 may have difficulty with it, most people in their 40s and younger have been exposed to the concept through sites like "life hacker." It would be insulting to suggest that the author does not know the difference between Steve Wozniak and Kevin Mitnick. Even with that distinction, there's a distinction in my mind, and probably many others', between a programmer and a hacker. I consider myself a fairly skilled programmer, but not a hacker. Maybe I was back in high school, but not anymore. I like programming, and I like learning new things about CS theory, but I think "hacker" conveys something more than that. A hacker values speed over correctness, figures out ways to put their programming knowledge to use in their day-to-day life. A hacker believes that a few lines of Perl will save the world. I, on the other hand, like building systems that work, and the intellectual satisfaction that comes from solving a data modeling problem. Real hackers are obsessed with the potential of 3D printing, the nifty gadgets you can make with an Arduino board, or a Raspberry Pi device. It's all about pushing the envelope. I don't push envelopes. I like to identify a problem, solve it once, and apply that solution wherever it fits. I can see how people might find that a bit dry, but I personally find it satisfying. They're different value sets, and different skill sets, and I think both are necessary.