Modern Definition of a Nerd / Geek

CuLT

This popped up in a convo on #fortress.ie, I wanted to see how people would define nerds/geeks, and if so, would you include yourself?
Personally I think anyone who can sucessfully navigate use Internet Explorer is a nerd these days...

By the way this originally sparked off by red_ice claiming that he shouldnt be on yorema.com/nerds because he wasnt a nerd. :P

pauldeehan

Well, glasses used to be the cliche but I think they're cool now, you see a lot of celebrities wearing them (Yes, I sometimes wear glasses)

CuLT

oh and some classifications would be nice too
I would class myself as an occupational Nerd/Geek, I can't decide which...

po0k

Nerds and geeks are different.
Geek is the term you're looking for.
a nerd was someone who did all their homework and then some, asked the teacher all sorts of questions - often showing him/her up, got all A's, didn't play sport - at all, swotted like a big swotty thing and got 600 points in the Leaving cert.

A geek is a much wider deffinition.
generally someone who can use IRC, knows what an IP is, can browse the net easily, and generally plays some computer games regularly. Also has lateral links to comics and TV-shows

CuLT

yeah, what i said about sums it up, im between categories , i dont watch tv or read comic books, i am well read and have a good vocabulary.

Shinji

I'd define both of them as being someone who has an interest in more intellectual fields. For a nerd its humanities, for a geek it's technology/engineering.

They're only derogatory tags when they're coming from someone who doesn't know any better. I'll take being a geek over being a builder with a fat árse, low-slung jeans and a copy of the Sun any day, cheers

Mercury_Tilt

This post has been deleted.

Mercury_Tilt

This post has been deleted.

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

Winters

Originally posted by SyxPak
A geek is a much wider deffinition.
generally someone who can use IRC, knows what an IP is, can browse the net easily, and generally plays some computer games regularly. Also has lateral links to comics and TV-shows

Jesus thats me :eek: ...

except for the "lateral links to comics and TV-shows" ... i dont have that.

Shinji

Look at www.slashdot.org - news for nerds. not exactly humanities news there

The day I let Slashdot redefine my usage of the English language will be a dark day indeed...

Dustaz

Originally posted by Mercury_Tilt

I dont like the way my brother kept saying " if your a peado etc....just hic cup"

hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

I found that incredibly funny, am i a geek? or just really immature?


I think a geek/nerd is just someone whos too into something. If you can name the 1963 spurs team and thier reserves, i dont care if youve never even seen a pc - Your a total geek.

Likewise, You can fix computers, wear glasses and place pens in your top pocket, but if you dont have an opinion on which loonix distro is the best or dont spend 16 hours a day on IRC, your probably not a geek.

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

azezil

Originally posted by daveirl
*snip*

Woohooo i'm not a nerd cause i'm pritty! sweeet

damnyanks

YOUR ALL NERDS!!!

OLDYELLAR

geeks are cooler than nerds !

po0k

FIGHT!
<cue Mortal Kombat music>

pauldeehan

geeks are cooler than nerds

Yes, and being cooler than a nerd is something to brag about.

Mistakill

nuh uh.

Nerds rock. hold gotta pop a pimple...............

logic1

HAHAHA look at all the nerds argue about what a nerd is or isn't.

.logic.

Jimi-Spandex

I heartedly laugh at the nerds laughing at the nerdiness of the other nerds. Gah ! its a paradox (using a word like that makes me a geek) I am not really a geek, but then I am on the interweb posting on boards.ie as opposed to lookin at nekkid ladies, but then I am at work, hmm..

The Sweeper

I think geeks and nerds are normally associated with computers etc full stop.

...although successful geeks and nerds are people whose wallets are thicker than their spectacle lenses.

logic1

Originally posted by Minesajackdaniels

...although successful geeks and nerds are people whose wallets are thicker than their spectacle lenses.

Speculum lenses? Ick (I obviously need my speculum lenses cleaned)

.logic.

Samba

This is a thoery which i have often thought about putting forward.

Nerd and geeks are an ethnic minority


Why?

Well, they hold nearly all the qualities required to apply for an ethnic minority

They have their own Laguage "1337"

Many of them follow the same unhealthy diet of fast food ie Pizza

They have their own habits ie staying up late a night, attending lans, online games etc

They all have a computer and use the internet

Many of them are highly supperior to others when it comes to technology and many of them are the developers of such technology.


I think i could be on to a best selling ethnography here


All i need now is my subjects, any takers?

Hobbes

a geek would know what this means

GCS d-saC++L++P+E---W++N++o--K+w++O-M+V-PS+PEY+PGP---t5++XRtv-b+++DI+D++Ge*h--ry+

a nerd would say I don't have it tagged correctly.

logic1

Originally posted by Hobbes
a geek would know what this means



a nerd would say I don't have it tagged correctly.

Who uses geek code? *guffaw*

.logic.

Dave

No more drugs for that man...

amp

To me, being a nerd means being overly obsessed with something. There are a lot of different types of nerds. Legal nerds, Magic the Gathering nerds, book nerds, etc. etc.

I consider myself to be a hybrid nerd. I love computers but also (when I can afford it) a social life too.

That said, I've recently let eircom cut me off, because I've been spending FAAAAR to much time online lately.

TacT

Anyone that needs to use their computer without bein able to explain why they need to, to someone who has never turned one on without them looking at them very oddly or raising an eyebrow is a geek

then again, YOUR ALL NERDS!

CuLT

Originally posted by logic1
HAHAHA look at all the nerds argue about what a nerd is or isn't.

.logic.

sez the moderator of the Unix board....
:P