One step is to change the negative associations with the word, "hacker." I once co-organized a hackathon for teachers and we debated long and hard about using the word "hack" in the title or tagline. In the end, we decided not to use the word because too many teachers thought "hacking" was about breaking into computer systems, like the movie.
(I made sure to use the term in the description though, because I believe we really need to change the connotations of that term for the general public.)
Later, some high school students who attended our hackathon decided to organize a similar event at their high school. They used the term "hack" in the title because that was how they could best attract other students. This was against the desires of their teachers, most of whom argued against using that term. Their event was a success and hopefully they've changed the way their high school views the word "hack."
Or, maybe there just needs to be a character on "The Big Bang Theory" who is a hacker. Hollywood has a funny way of changing perceptions sometimes.
I'm an Information Security Professional by trade, but I love to learn about CS and programming in my free time.
If there is one thing in this life that I am certain of, its that programmers are NEVER going to take back the term "hacker."
We as programmers find ourselves in the unfortunate situation of being right about something that the entire world doesn't give a shit about. As long as mainstream media keeps making money off of selling fear and hysteria, you will not make even the slightest amount of progress.
It's just not going to happen. People are not going to one day wake up and be thankful to the person who built their car or computer or web service. At some level, barring any deep introspection, they are biological machines that only know that a car or a computer gives them power. Whoever made that car or computer has an advantage over them. That's all that matters.
If people stopped thinking of most bottom tier blackhats as wizards and more as thieves who've figured out how to copy a banking sites web page, the world would be a better place.
By educating the masses. If they had half a brain to be able to recognise scams, phishing and security issues would they be nearly as frightened and would the problem of "cyber crime" be nearly as bad?
(I made sure to use the term in the description though, because I believe we really need to change the connotations of that term for the general public.)
Later, some high school students who attended our hackathon decided to organize a similar event at their high school. They used the term "hack" in the title because that was how they could best attract other students. This was against the desires of their teachers, most of whom argued against using that term. Their event was a success and hopefully they've changed the way their high school views the word "hack."
Or, maybe there just needs to be a character on "The Big Bang Theory" who is a hacker. Hollywood has a funny way of changing perceptions sometimes.