Terry Yager
Veteran Member
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--T
--T
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Computer geek vs. Computer nerd
- Thread starter Floppies_only
- Start date
Yzzerdd
Veteran Member
Here is the difference to me:
A nerd is good at math, enjoys school, and obsessively studies.
A geek is good with computers, knowledgable, and yet cool in their own fashion. Like the kind of cool where they know valuable information, but dont put it in confusing algebraic terms and such.
--Jack
Ole Juul
Veteran Member
Both these words, being rather slangy are in rapid transition. It's not that long ago you could hear either of them being used for something more like "twit"!
One thing I notice now is that "nurd" gets uses more and more for people who don't have a tchnical bone in their body - wouldn't rebuild a carburettor, fix the plumbing, or own a soldering iron. I think that many of the people on this list are unusual in that they think "technical" means more than swapping cards in a computer.
One thing I notice now is that "nurd" gets uses more and more for people who don't have a tchnical bone in their body - wouldn't rebuild a carburettor, fix the plumbing, or own a soldering iron. I think that many of the people on this list are unusual in that they think "technical" means more than swapping cards in a computer.
Terry Yager
Veteran Member
"Wonk" has pretty much gone out of use, but geek seems to replaced it to some extent. A wonk, IIRC, was someone knowledgeable in a certain area, and almost always used with a qualifier, i.e., economics wonk, etc.
--T
--T
smplfyi
Experienced Member
Just to get the conversation back to my level.
As a proud computer geek I always thought the difference was that as a (male) computer geek I had some chance of getting the hot girl. If I was a computer nerd then there would be just no chance.
Finally I invite readers to visit Richards site .. there has been an interesting discussion about human evolution (and its demise)
http://richarddawkins.net/article,3...nes-says-human-evolution-is-over,Times-Online
As a proud computer geek I always thought the difference was that as a (male) computer geek I had some chance of getting the hot girl. If I was a computer nerd then there would be just no chance.
Finally I invite readers to visit Richards site .. there has been an interesting discussion about human evolution (and its demise)
http://richarddawkins.net/article,3...nes-says-human-evolution-is-over,Times-Online
DoctorPepper
Experienced Member
I've been a proud computer geek since early 1982, when I first laid hands on a computer keyboard (well, terminal actually). My wife calls me her "personal computer geek", and my proudest moment was one day in Best Buy, my wife bought some piece of software (can't remember what), and the kind sales person asked her if she'd like to schedule to have the Geek Squad come by and install it for her. My wife, bless her heart, replied "no thanks, I'm married to my own Geek Squad". :D
creepingnet
Veteran Member
Geek life is not an easy one for me, as I don't fit the "mainstream" accepted version of a geek looks-wise, but on the other hand, I hold the nerd-like traits of having had some terrible social skills only a few years back at 22, and always having a near Asperger-like tendancy to catalog things and keep things organized. I've never filled any one category, because I'm sort of a mix of a bunch.
However, to me, being a nerd or a geek is dead. It's been "mainstream'd" to death. The stereotype of the 98 LB nerd with 4000 pages of code and a home-brew computer is long gone, as are the big beige boxes he plays with (except here of course), and the stereotype right now of the average geeks is a pudgy guy with glasses and spikey hair that talks about halo and world of warcraft when he's not talking about the awesome new NVIDIA 9900 GTX video card and it's amazing 200 Watt power consumption. Many geeks around now, or those who claim to be, spend most of their time listing off benchmarks and specs created in a laboratory, to me that's lame, nothing replaces real "out in the field" experience with technology. They have more trouble than me, the guy who's spent 6 months diagnosing cooling problems with his main computer, and making incremental improvements here and there.
As far as gals go, I get my admirers, but I don't think I put myself out there enough, paritially because I don't have the time, and the other part is because I'm just tired of being used in a way I'd rather not be used. You'd be amazed at the sexual bullshit girls will pull to lure you in to replace a fried hard disk....without even touching yours if you get my drift. Then there's the gals that assume you are "rich" because you work in computers, sorry, that stereotype died out in the 90's, we are all now average joes, unless we start a business, which is something I plan to do eventually once I get a grasp on how to do it RIGHT, and manage risk the hard way.
I get more gals off my rocker thing than I do my geek thing anyway. 1 girlfriend met while geekin' on the web one night versus many girlfriends, dates, and one night stands from gigging/being in bands....hmm, I do better being the long haired grunting oaf with a guitar than I do being the laid back long-haired computer techie, though I admit the geeky gal lasted longer than the rocker gals, but after seeing how women around my age tend to be these days (COUHGselfentitledCOUGH). Very few are BOTH like I am.
Asperger's has been considered, but I'm too capable of functioning normal to have it, like as of late I have not been on an organizational kick or cataloging or collecting, but sometimes I am. I truly wonder if it's something diet related, because I'm always experimenting with my diet, and I think I may have traced it to a shift in diet inadvertently.
However, to me, being a nerd or a geek is dead. It's been "mainstream'd" to death. The stereotype of the 98 LB nerd with 4000 pages of code and a home-brew computer is long gone, as are the big beige boxes he plays with (except here of course), and the stereotype right now of the average geeks is a pudgy guy with glasses and spikey hair that talks about halo and world of warcraft when he's not talking about the awesome new NVIDIA 9900 GTX video card and it's amazing 200 Watt power consumption. Many geeks around now, or those who claim to be, spend most of their time listing off benchmarks and specs created in a laboratory, to me that's lame, nothing replaces real "out in the field" experience with technology. They have more trouble than me, the guy who's spent 6 months diagnosing cooling problems with his main computer, and making incremental improvements here and there.
As far as gals go, I get my admirers, but I don't think I put myself out there enough, paritially because I don't have the time, and the other part is because I'm just tired of being used in a way I'd rather not be used. You'd be amazed at the sexual bullshit girls will pull to lure you in to replace a fried hard disk....without even touching yours if you get my drift. Then there's the gals that assume you are "rich" because you work in computers, sorry, that stereotype died out in the 90's, we are all now average joes, unless we start a business, which is something I plan to do eventually once I get a grasp on how to do it RIGHT, and manage risk the hard way.
I get more gals off my rocker thing than I do my geek thing anyway. 1 girlfriend met while geekin' on the web one night versus many girlfriends, dates, and one night stands from gigging/being in bands....hmm, I do better being the long haired grunting oaf with a guitar than I do being the laid back long-haired computer techie, though I admit the geeky gal lasted longer than the rocker gals, but after seeing how women around my age tend to be these days (COUHGselfentitledCOUGH). Very few are BOTH like I am.
Asperger's has been considered, but I'm too capable of functioning normal to have it, like as of late I have not been on an organizational kick or cataloging or collecting, but sometimes I am. I truly wonder if it's something diet related, because I'm always experimenting with my diet, and I think I may have traced it to a shift in diet inadvertently.
Terry Yager
Veteran Member
M-M,
Asperger's is defined as 'High Functioning', so even if you function at a 'normal' or higher level most of the time, it can't be ruled out.
Changes in diet can certainly contribute to changes in brain chemistry, etc, which can cause behavior changes, in those with AS as well as those without (including people with other disorders, either physiological or psychological), so the possibility of AS and/or other disorders still cannot be eliminated. You really should discuss the matter with a professional though, but don't worry, it could be sum'n as simple as an allergy.
Just remember that 50% of all opinions, from both professionals and the laity, are 100% full of sh!t, 75% of the time.
(Did that sound Autistic enough for y'all?)
--T
Asperger's is defined as 'High Functioning', so even if you function at a 'normal' or higher level most of the time, it can't be ruled out.
Changes in diet can certainly contribute to changes in brain chemistry, etc, which can cause behavior changes, in those with AS as well as those without (including people with other disorders, either physiological or psychological), so the possibility of AS and/or other disorders still cannot be eliminated. You really should discuss the matter with a professional though, but don't worry, it could be sum'n as simple as an allergy.
Just remember that 50% of all opinions, from both professionals and the laity, are 100% full of sh!t, 75% of the time.
(Did that sound Autistic enough for y'all?)
--T
Yzzerdd
Veteran Member
neither geek nor nerd
neither geek nor nerd
I being a woman find you neither nerdy or geekish. I would use the words "Real Men", because you are not ashamed to share your knowledge so freely. Unlike so many "techies" who feel they are so above everyone they will not share even one layer of the OSI model.
I'm truly honored to read your threads, you are far, far, far above the rest. It is a little strange that one get's the impression that a woman will never read some of your threads, there's a little hint of MI there, but that's what makes life exciting.
I hope I don't get censored, honest I mean it as a compliment, it's a fun place to be.
I'm all verklempt, speak amongst yourselves...
neither geek nor nerd
I being a woman find you neither nerdy or geekish. I would use the words "Real Men", because you are not ashamed to share your knowledge so freely. Unlike so many "techies" who feel they are so above everyone they will not share even one layer of the OSI model.
I'm truly honored to read your threads, you are far, far, far above the rest. It is a little strange that one get's the impression that a woman will never read some of your threads, there's a little hint of MI there, but that's what makes life exciting.
I hope I don't get censored, honest I mean it as a compliment, it's a fun place to be.
I'm all verklempt, speak amongst yourselves...
Terry Yager
Veteran Member
Druid6900
Veteran Member
Damn, and after all the trouble I went to developing schizophrenia so I could be a geek AND a nerd LMAO
StickByDos
Member
I agree with this, I never say I'm a geek / nerd, I just say I have great knowledge on hardware for longtime
But I know some people who keep asking: "You know so much on computer, you're a geek, I need help, I'd like a new computer; which is better intel or AMD, NVidia or ATI ? Somebody told me he's just heard there will be a new [...] what do you think of it ?"
:D