Is it cool to be a geek?

piersk

Ok, these two words may seem mutually exclusive... or at least they used to. But with the rise in fortune of a certain Mr W Gates, has it become ok to be a geek... a nerd if you will?

Personally, I am proud of my computer skills and will openly admit to being a geek. All my friends call me one and I like it. It shows that I don't just "know about computers". To me it shows that I "really know about computers". And that makes me proud.

Also, up until recently, if you played online games, you were given a label that (to be honest) wasn't good. But there was a report out recently (see here) that said that playing online games was actually a very social activity.

Anyway, I say "be proud of your geekiness. Don't let anyone say that it's a bad thing."

Not entirely sure what made me write that. I'd like to think I had a vision. But I didn't. Just felt like saying it.

tys

BuzzLY

Is it "geekiness?"

Or is it "geekdom?" Geekitude? Geekification?

I for one am proud to be a geek. To me, it means you are considered an expert in your field. On the other hand, "nerd" is just an inept brainiac with no discernible social skills. You could be both. You could be either. They are different aspects, IMHO.

Of course, we might be labelled "nerds" just for having this conversation...

jebster

I am or was proud to be a geek untill I read this:

Originally posted by BuzzLY
To me, it means you are considered an expert in your field.

Know I'm not sure I am one...

Anyway, I like being.. a.. guy that spends to much time on the computer, but I know very few other people like me, and when I start talking geeky in front of my other friends they have no idea what I am talking about. So it kinda sucks cause I like talking about geeky stuff yet have no friends to talk about geeky stuff with. 🙁

vaaaska

You're all a bunch of dorks in my book! 🙂

Group hug time? *

Elizabeth

I agree wholeheartedly Piers! I have always been proud of my geek heritage, heck my brother and I would have contests to see who could be geekier. Most kids were playing football or building a treehouse... we were role playing "computer programmer" and making our own dungeons with D&D. I openly embrace my geekdom, and my friends think I know everything there is to know about computers (which obviously is untrue). So that would be the only drawback... when people find out what you do for a living, it's the old "maybe you can answer this for me- what does a blue screen mean?" and "why can't I get my email to work?"

And as long as we're on the subject- "dork" is my preference, but
"special" seems to be the most popular, ha ha.

LordShryku

Yes, it's cool to be a geek! Terms seem to be twisted from anyone outside the "group". Geek was twisted into something bad by someone who needs a geek to fix his computer for him :p

I wear my geek badge holder with pride. But damned if I wear my hacker shirt to work anymore. This misconception will never be fixed, and now no one trusts me....

BuzzLY

I don't know how many times I have tried to convey to non-geeks the difference between "hacker" and "cracker." I usually relate the term safe-cracker, meaning someone who (usually) breaks into safes illegally. Whereas "hacker" refers to someone who "hacks" at code -- it's akin to "programmer." Not exactly, but it's close enough for a non-geek to understand the difference.

Betsy, if it's any consolation, you'll always be a dork in my book. And coming from a dork like me, that's saying a LOT. A dork that can kick your a$$ at table-hockey! 😃

Jeb, someday you'll see that having friends with the same exact interests as you doesn't matter that much, and if someone truly looks down on you for your differences, then you aren't really friends in the first place. Unless that difference is an extra arm, because then you truly WOULD be a freak! 😃

Speaking of dorky geeks... who's going to see Harry Potter tomorrow? I will be in line early! Who's the dork NOW???

jebster

Originally posted by BuzzLY
Jeb, someday you'll see that having friends with the same exact interests as you doesn't matter that much, and if someone truly looks down on you for your differences, then you aren't really friends in the first place.

Yea, but due to my friends being interested in other things there is not much to talk about with them, other than hockey of course... how long til winter?....

Originally posted by BuzzLY
Unless that difference is an extra arm, because then you truly WOULD be a freak! 😃

That would kick ass!!! Imagine type with two hands and use the mouse with the other at the same time! 😃

Originally posted by BuzzLY
Speaking of dorky geeks... who's going to see Harry Potter tomorrow? I will be in line early! Who's the dork NOW???

LOTR, hell yea, Hary Poter, no. :p

BuzzLY

Originally posted by jebster
That would kick ass!!! Imagine type with two hands and use the mouse with the other at the same time! 😃

Hmm.. somehow, other uses come to mind... like no longer having to type with one hand...

jebster

Originally posted by BuzzLY
Hmm.. somehow, other uses come to mind... like no longer having to type with one hand...

:eek:

Sweet new avatar 🙂

piersk

Originally posted by BuzzLY
Speaking of dorky geeks... who's going to see Harry Potter tomorrow?

I'm so geeky that I've already seen it 😃

BuzzLY

Only because you are dorky AND across the pond...

I am seeing it tonight, the first day it's released in the States.

The_Chancer

I also agree with Piers, I am a geek, a self confessed one, with random skills to boot.

My mates know me as such, and I am usually their first port of call about most things along the computer line, which does make me proud...

After starting with Amstrad Basic all those years ago - how far have I come.....

onion2k

Most people who claim to be geeks aren't. Just coz you know one end of a computer from the other doesn't mean you're a geek.

When you stay in on Friday nights to write code instead of going out.. then you're a geek.

piersk

Originally posted by onion2k
When you stay in on Friday nights to write code instead of going out.. then you're a geek.

At least I'm not the only one then 😃

The_Chancer

Define going out...

Is that:
a) Going out of the room to phone for pizza ?
b) Going out of the room for a screwdriver ?
c) Going out of the room for the loo ?

I can't think of another definition......

bubblenut

d) Going out of the house :eek: wardriving
e) Going out on a limb and installing PHP5 before it goes stable
f) Going out to the pub :eek: to see if they've got a screwdriver you can borrow

😃

vaaaska

Yesterday I heard a story about a man who got caught driving 160 kph (isn't this like 110 mph?).

Of course, he was blind. He had a friend explain to him where to go... :eek:

What is "wardriving"?

piersk

http://www.webopedia.com/terms/w/wardriving.html

(However, ignore the bit about WEP. Although it does offer very limited protection, it is easily (so I'm told) cracked.

The_Chancer

Anyone for a drive by scanning ???

I've a pringles tube and I'm not afraid to use it....