[Coda]

Don't let the more recent definition of "hacker" (as in, one who commits computer crimes) distract you from the original meaning -- a great number of non-security-oriented hackers prefer using the term "cracker" for that definition and reserve "hacker" for people like me who are all about coming up with inventive solutions to interesting problems.

http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/appendixb.html

Read this for some insight into how the hacker's mind works.