well, hackers are the backbone of computers and/or the internet, without hackers we wouldn't have irc, without hackers we wouldnt have a lot of things, hackers are good, crackers are bad. i dont believe in the black/white/gray stereotypes, look at the *most* infamous 'hacker' in history, kevin mitnick, he could have been the richest man on earth if he had wanted but instead he used his abilities to further his knowledge and understanding, that is what a true hacker does, again, hackers = good, crackers = bad.