What is an adjective to describe someone who is interested in computers and programming?
I hate how the typical adjective to describe such a person is "nerd" or "geek"...because of their negative connotations.
What are some adjectives (describing ppl interested in computers/programming) with positive connotations?
IMHO, Geek is more suitable for those of us whose love for computers (CCGs, anime, D&D, or something similar) permeates our lifestyle. Nerd is generally used for people who are book smart. Thus, you could say people who got degrees to become programmers are nerds, but those of us who took it upon ourselves to learn on our own are geeks... Well, at least that's pretty close... I'm openly geeky.
Not an adjective, but "hacker".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hacker_(computing)
Some possible adjectives: technical, technically-minded, tech-savvy.
And I don't think, even in the mainstream, there's anything at all derogatory anymore in "geeky". I think you should embrace it! :)
The three chief virtues of a programmer are: Laziness, Impatience and Hubris - Larry Wall
So Lazy and impatient!
(For example : too tired to search for adjective for hubris as I want to post the answer quick. I know this is a good answer)
How about hacker? Honestly, the problem isn't the words used. The problem is how people like us are perceived.
Do you really think that finding another word to describe yourself will change the way people see you? They will either keep using the old words, or use the new word in a negative way: to label you an "outsider".
So even if you find a new word, you won't like to be called that.
You can either ignore it, or try to change the minds of the people around you.
Maybe if you can put: "they who know where you data lives and know how to manipulate it" in a single word, we can get some more respect. ;-).
If you like figuring things out on your own, many of them computer related, then you are a hacker. It is nothing to be ashamed of.
As mentioned in the other answers, the word "hacker" is most often how we describe ourselves. I think "The Conscience of a Hacker," written by The Mentor and published in Phrack Issue 1 gives a sense of what a lot of us who have been around long enough feel in our hearts when we say "hacker."
P.S. Of note is that if you go in for a job interview and refer to yourself as a hacker, you will probably not get hired.
Depends. As an outside looking in, it's often "nerdy, boring, intelligent".
From the inside, I prefer "geeky, creative, enthused." Although I'll happily take "intelligent" :)
It's worth noting that you can have a car geek, or a cooking geek - it's more to show someone with extreme levels of interest/enthusiasm in a given area. Unfortunately it's sometimes mixed up with "nerd".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geek
I consider myself a 'Problem Solver' and an 'Empowerer'.
'Problem Solver' - that seems to be half the job...fixing existing problems, finding the cause of problems, and exposing something as a problem.
'Empowerer' - Most apps that I write seem to empower the user..giving them control & making them a bigger part of the process.