The problem with techie is that it already has a history and meaning outside of computerdom, and a strong history at that. I would actually get more misconceptions if I told people I was a techie than if I told them I was a hacker (partially because I am a techie in the theatrical sense of the word). At work we all call ourselves techs but that is a word with a more specific conotation and another set of meanings specific to the tech support community

Hacker wins because it's a deep seated part of our culture. I call myself a hacker (merlyn's regretable situation not withstanding) because it ties into a history which I am proud to at least pretend to be a part of. And I think that explicitly or implicitly the same is true of most people who call themselves hackers. Even the l33t script kiddiez who don't know what they are talking about are trying to buy into a some modern myth about who and what hackers are and what to takes to be one.

Light a man a fire, he's warm for a day. Catch a man on fire, and he's warm for the rest of his life. - Terry Pratchet