Tinkerer. (For probably 90% of situations it can be explained that simply)<p>"Tinkerers reversed engineered the new government X" "Tinkerers were able to crack the new Purple-ray disc standard"<p>I think it <i>sounds</i> nicer to say "hacker" than "tinkerer," but again, 90% of the time you can just replace one with the other if you need a quick way to explain it to someone.
Someone who likes to figure out how things work. This usually involves breaking things and using them for purposes other than what they were intended for, which is why they get such a bad rap.
People who can just get shit done. The guy or gal you bring an idea to and they say, "Hmm - let me think about it for a while." The next time you talk, they completely have mapped out the starter solution using interesting models.
Problem Solver. In, around, over, and thru. Not being stopped in the pursuit of your goal, no matter how large or small. If there is not a tool to fix it, then make your own.