In my (at this time very long) experience people don't know what a programmer does, unless they're programmers themselves. In fact, whatever I say about my work ("programmer", "data processing", "computer-based analysis", "(whatever)" they really have no idea anyway. It's much easier to answer "I'm a carpenter".
Yep, what you stated is exactly my experience as well! What i have done the last few years (if/when people ask me what my job is), i simply them that I'm a *technologist*. Roughly half of the people begin asking what does that mean exactly...i gather because its not a title or role that they know anyone to actually have...so they get curious and it sparks a nice conversation, less about jobs and more about roles in the world, etc. The other half of the people don't ask what "technologist" means because they really don't care...to clarify they may or may not know what it means, but are actually the least bit interested....so it helps me quickly gauge what direction to take any small talk with them. Funny enough, for people really interested in learning about me, they'll right away ask: "What does that mean as your role?"...and almost always it has been such a nice conversation...while those who don't ask to clarify what my role is, have been less enthusiastic chats - not always of course, but often.
Secondly, when i tell people that i am a technologist, it almost feels like one of those groupings of jobs like "doctor", "architect", "lawyer", etc. Sure, maybe that's more for my ego, but who cares. ;-)
