in reply to The new 'hacker' word?

It depends on why you hack. If you hack for fun perhaps you are a computer hobbyist. If you hack at school you are a computer science student. If you hack for work you may be a computer scientist, a software scientist, or just 'scientist'.

Scientist has the proper connotation, because a hacker doesn't just implement the PHB's requirements. A hacker studies, discovers, invents, and teaches. merlyn is an excellent example of this, and so are many other monks.

It should work perfectly the first time! - toma