There are so many different types of hackers out there that it would be hard to say whether or not it would make them a better programmer. You could argue that hackers can become good programmers because a mind geared towards analysis would translate well into the analytical mind necessary for a good programmer.

Hacking teaches you about flawed software and introduces you to pragmatic difficulties in designing secure software. That in someway may make you a better progrmr.

A hacker is a passionate, driven, jack-of-all-trades coder who knows enough about everything to at least know where to look to figure out how to do anything. So i say, a hacker is already a good programmer

Well, there are hackers and there are script kiddies. The difference between the two is while the first one is truly intelligible in finding flaws in the system, the other one only exploits known vulnerabilities using publicly available code. If that doesn't sound familiar, that's quite the same as difference between an Einstein and a Mort. Also, many hackers follow some kind of ethics wherein they vow to do no harm -- script kiddies simply don't care and "just want to have fun".

Some of the traits possessed by a hacker lend themselves to the making of a good programmer. These would include research ability, thinking outside the box, and logical analysis.

i hope that hacking wud make us all better programmers..