nerd vs geek
Ersatz Caligula
A "Nerd" is a technical type, say an engineer or physicist,
who loses -- or fails to acquire -- certain "social skills"
as a consequence of concenentraing on more germane matters.
Two good examples are Einstein and Wittgenstein.
A "Geek" on the other hand is a weird and freaky type whose
"interpersonal problems" are primary, who may (optionally!)
come to dabble with techy stuff because s/he can't get laid
anyway and thus has oodles of free time. My two examples of
the "geek" phenomenon are Tiny Tim (who became a ukelelist)
and of course me, 'TheDavid' -- who became a net.celebrity.
Hope this helps.
Drollishly,
TheDavid <-- World Famous Autodidact
P.S. Please send me offers of illicit congress!
--
..........................................................................
shut the door and cover me | This Post Copyright (C) 1996 By THE THETANIST
SHUT THE DOOR AND COVER ME |http://www.clark.net/pub/thedavid/trythis.html
..........................................................................
G Sumner Hayes
thed...@clark.net (Ersatz Caligula) writes:
> A "Nerd" is a technical type, say an engineer or physicist,
> who loses -- or fails to acquire -- certain "social skills"
> as a consequence of concenentraing on more germane matters.
> Two good examples are Einstein and Wittgenstein.
>
> A "Geek" on the other hand is a weird and freaky type whose
> "interpersonal problems" are primary, who may (optionally!)
> come to dabble with techy stuff because s/he can't get laid
> anyway and thus has oodles of free time. My two examples of
> the "geek" phenomenon are Tiny Tim (who became a ukelelist)
> and of course me, 'TheDavid' -- who became a net.celebrity.
>
And, of course, modern usage at MIT, CMU, and other technical
institutes reverses these meanings. By "modern" I mean sinc 1991 or
1992. Just read the Jargon file for a relatively objective treatment
of the phenomenon; I for one would never disparage a first-class geek
like Einstein by referring to him as a nerd. *shudder* OTOH, I
wouldn't bless a nerd like Tiny Tim with the geek epithet. What has
he done to deserve that kind of respect?
Cordially,
Sumner
Please don't CC: postings to me, my mailbox is already full enough.
Patrick Farley
Ersatz Caligula wrote:
>
> A "Nerd" is a technical type, say an engineer or physicist,
> who loses -- or fails to acquire -- certain "social skills"
> as a consequence of concenentraing on more germane matters.
> Two good examples are Einstein and Wittgenstein.
>
> A "Geek" on the other hand is a weird and freaky type whose
> "interpersonal problems" are primary, who may (optionally!)
> come to dabble with techy stuff because s/he can't get laid
> anyway and thus has oodles of free time. My two examples of
> the "geek" phenomenon are Tiny Tim (who became a ukelelist)
> and of course me, 'TheDavid' -- who became a net.celebrity.
>
Wrong.
A geek is a nerd who has a social life.
A nerd is a geek who is trying not to be a geek.
Check out http://www.geek.org for more elucidation on this subject.
--------------------
Patrick Sean Farley
Geek, and Proud of It
DEADpan
Ersatz Caligula wrote:
> =
> A "Nerd" is a technical type, say an engineer or physicist,
> who loses -- or fails to acquire -- certain "social skills"
> as a consequence of concenentraing on more germane matters.
> Two good examples are Einstein and Wittgenstein.
> =
> A "Geek" on the other hand is a weird and freaky type whose
> "interpersonal problems" are primary, who may (optionally!)
> come to dabble with techy stuff because s/he can't get laid
> anyway and thus has oodles of free time. My two examples of
> the "geek" phenomenon are Tiny Tim (who became a ukelelist)
> and of course me, 'TheDavid' -- who became a net.celebrity.
> ..................
And I thought they were calling me a geek because of all those chicken =
heads I was biting off...
DEADpan
=2E.whose official job title is net.geek
-- =
Now Playing: Le=E6ther Strip - Double or Nothing
Seán Sheehan
On 5 Nov 1996 11:03:54 GMT, thed...@clark.net (Ersatz Caligula)
dribbled:
>My two examples of
>the "geek" phenomenon are Tiny Tim (who became a ukelelist)
>and of course me, 'TheDavid' -- who became a net.celebrity.
yeah. right.
david perry - a legend in his own mind...
Seán
Home of THE Who's not Who on Alt.Angst
http://mickey.iafrica.com/~alleycat/home1.htm
"She's going shopping ... shopping for shoes ..."
Java G
Basically, a geek has no social skills, is aware of this fact and doesn't
care, because he/she is more interested in machines anyway. A nerd is
interested in machines simply because of lacking social skills.
--
/** Java G <hamm...@meng.ucl.ac.uk>
* Virtual Reality ROV Docking Planner
* http://www.ucl.ac.uk/~zcemm23
* "it's not about money... it's about pasta..." */
David O'Bedlam
On Wed, 6 Nov 1996, Seán Sheehan wrote:
> david perry - a legend in his own mind...
But Sean, being a legend in YOUR mind is impossible.
[Rum-PUM]
Pining away,
TheDavid
Seán Sheehan
>On Wed, 6 Nov 1996, Seán Sheehan wrote:
>
>> david perry - a legend in his own mind...
>
>But Sean, being a legend in YOUR mind is impossible.
that's 'cos my mind has ...
Seán
better things to do...
Andy Green
Seán Sheehan wrote:
>
> On Wed, 6 Nov 1996 08:35:13 -0500, 'David O'Bedlam'
> <thed...@clark.net> wrote:
>
> >On Wed, 6 Nov 1996, Seán Sheehan wrote:
> >
> >> david perry - a legend in his own mind...
> >
> >But Sean, being a legend in YOUR mind is impossible.
>
> that's 'cos my mind has ...
no place to go...
and a family of four living in the basement.
Andy
Smooth grey lizard brain forked tongue bite me.
SR Systems Engineering Services
In <327F93...@organic.com>, Patrick Farley <pat...@organic.com> writes:
>Ersatz Caligula wrote:
>> A "Nerd" is a technical type, say an engineer or physicist,
>> who loses -- or fails to acquire -- certain "social skills"
>> as a consequence of concenentraing on more germane matters.
>> Two good examples are Einstein and Wittgenstein.
>>
>> "interpersonal problems" are primary, who may (optionally!)
>> come to dabble with techy stuff because s/he can't get laid
>> the "geek" phenomenon are Tiny Tim (who became a ukelelist)
>> and of course me, 'TheDavid' -- who became a net.celebrity.
>>
>
>
>Wrong.
>
>A geek is a nerd who has a social life.
>
>A nerd is a geek who is trying not to be a geek.
that one works for me, I'm a networking/milspec Geek who's married and has
a fairly busy social life...
-------------------------------------------------
cat...@ACM.org <==> Systems Engineering Services
GCS/IT/O d--- s+:++ a? C++++$ !U!P!L!E W++ N++
K w--- O++$ M-- V+$ PS+++ PE Y+ PGP++$ t+ 5-
X++ R tv++ b+ DI+ D+ G e h---(++) r+++ y+++(*)
-------------------------------------------------
Jennifer Basil
Patrick Farley (pat...@organic.com) wrote:
: Ersatz Caligula wrote:
: A geek is a nerd who has a social life.
: A nerd is a geek who is trying not to be a geek.
I concur.
Jenny, Geek.
: Check out http://www.geek.org for more elucidation on this subject.
: --------------------
: Patrick Sean Farley
: Geek, and Proud of It
--
___________
Jennifer "Cat Scratch" Basil Has angst, will travel.
"YOU MANIACS! YOU BLEW IT UP! ah damn you...DAMN YOU ALL TO HELL!!!"
---Charlton Heston, Planet of the Apes (1968)
coates
Jennifer Basil (ba...@bio.bu.edu) wrote:
: Jenny, Geek.
Ah, and they're are those who say that asgx is dead.
--
john coates "Sit down before fact as a little child, be prepared to
give up every preconceived notion, follow humbly wherever
and to whatever abyss nature leads, or you shall learn
nothing." - Thomas Huxley
lord clod
In article <565uob$9...@news.nyu.edu>, coa...@is.nyu.edu (coates) noticed:
Jennifer Basil (ba...@bio.bu.edu) wrote:
: Jenny, Geek.
Ah, and they're are those who say that asgx is dead.
no. the news just takes a little longer to travel to the backwater known
colloquially as "the hub of the universe."
john coates
lord clod
in a new york
state of mind --
don't fuck wi' me
--
Leave my shoes, and door unlocked
I might just slip away
just for the day. --david bowie
Java G
In article <563hud$m...@news.bu.edu>, ba...@bio.bu.edu (Jennifer Basil) writes:
|>Patrick Farley (pat...@organic.com) wrote:
|>: Ersatz Caligula wrote:
|>: A geek is a nerd who has a social life.
|>
|>: A nerd is a geek who is trying not to be a geek.
|>
|>
|>I concur.
|>
|>Jenny, Geek.
but there's more to it. A geek also posesses a deep mastery of a technical
discpline, whereas a nerd is very enthusiastic about something like train
spotting or d&d but has little practical skills.
Petro
In article <32803a15.2389182@news>, Seán Sheehan <lec...@iafrica.com> wrote:
>On 5 Nov 1996 11:03:54 GMT, thed...@clark.net (Ersatz Caligula)
>dribbled:
No, his own behind.
--
Think Globally. Act Locally. Support your Local Politician. With a rope.
4 lines, it isn't the law, it is simple fire prevention.
Pain is a feature, not a bug.
pe...@suba.com pe...@encodex.com pe...@netsight.net pe...@smoke.suba.com
Petro
In article <55n6uq$d...@clarknet.clark.net>,
Ersatz Caligula <thed...@clark.net> wrote:
Geek is applied to someone who has had another assist them in acheiving
orgasm, Nerd hasn't.
You david are a Nerd.
I am a geek.
I have a life. You are attempting to develop one by causing shit on Usenet
and various mailing lists.
That is the difference.
Bill VanRemmen
Java G wrote:
>
> but there's more to it. A geek also posesses a deep mastery of a technical
> discpline, whereas a nerd is very enthusiastic about something like train
> spotting or d&d but has little practical skills.
So, then, what's a dweeb?
--
-Bill VanRemmen, KA2WFJ
bi...@frontiernet.net
http://www.frontiernet.net/~billy/
My opinions. No one in their right mind would claim otherwise.
============================================================================ "Experience should teach us to be most on our guard to protect liberty
when the government's purposes are beneficient . . . the greatest
dangers to liberty lurk in insidious encroachment by men of zeal, well
meaning but without understanding."
Justice Louis Brandeis
Olmstead vs. United States,
United States Supreme Court, 1928
============================================================================
David O'Bedlam
On 13 Nov 1996, Petro wrote unto me:
> Geek is applied to someone who has had another assist them
> in acheiving orgasm, Nerd hasn't.
>
> You david are a Nerd.
Are you calling me a VIRGIN? Huh! What a way to alleviate the
accumulated shame from all the exes of both sexes I failed in
the sack -- make it like it never happened! Nothing! Ever!
What an idea.
Exhonerated,
TheDavid
Jack Crow
Petro <pe...@suba.com> mentioned that...
> I am a geek.
The call of the, er..._something_.
max
['Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your pocket protectors!']
--
___________________________________________________________
"You'll die as you lived, in a flash of the blade."
max==ba...@crl.com KYFHO Freedom < > Slavery
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rick Nyman
hamm...@drkclu.meng.ucl.ac.uk (Java G) wrote:
>
>In article <563hud$m...@news.bu.edu>, ba...@bio.bu.edu (Jennifer Basil) writes:
>|>Patrick Farley (pat...@organic.com) wrote:
>|>: Ersatz Caligula wrote:
>|>: A geek is a nerd who has a social life.
>|>
>|>: A nerd is a geek who is trying not to be a geek.
>|>
>|>
>|>I concur.
>|>
>|>Jenny, Geek.
>
>but there's more to it. A geek also posesses a deep mastery of a technical
>discpline, whereas a nerd is very enthusiastic about something like train
>spotting or d&d but has little practical skills.
Interesting way to put it. I always considered geek a potential compliment
and nerd otherwise, but never tried to guess why.
I once joked that a geek had dozens of wires going out of the back of their
computer but didn't crawl back there very often (I guess, from this thread,
that nerd would apply to someone who did crawl back their daily).
-R...
--
Rick Nyman <rny...@mail.serve.com>
http://www.serve.com/rnyman (Last changed: 10/21/96)
Caution: Due to a bug in my mailer, unsolicited commercial advertisements
may be returned to the sender several thousand times. Thanks.
Jack Crow
Bill VanRemmen <bi...@frontiernet.net> mentioned that...
>So, then, what's a dweeb?
A geek that works for Microsoft.
max
['I don't wanna think about it.']
Paul Gorman
Jack Crow (ba...@crl.com) wrote:
: Bill VanRemmen <bi...@frontiernet.net> mentioned that...
: >So, then, what's a dweeb?
: A geek that works for Microsoft.
: max
: ['I don't wanna think about it.']
: --
: ___________________________________________________________
: "You'll die as you lived, in a flash of the blade."
Oh bloody hell. Iron Maiden too? Kill yourself now. KILL YOURSELF NOW.
K I L L Y O U R S E L F N O W. killyourselfnow. kiLLyOurSeLFnOw.
Oli (oh please)...
Petro
In article <32895E...@frontiernet.net>,
Bill VanRemmen <bi...@frontiernet.net> wrote:
>Java G wrote:
>>
>> but there's more to it. A geek also posesses a deep mastery of a technical
>> discpline, whereas a nerd is very enthusiastic about something like train
>> spotting or d&d but has little practical skills.
>
Someone whose .signature file is more than 3 time longer than the
accepted limit.
HTH. HAND.
Andrew W Greenwood
Paul Gorman (eq...@westminster.ac.uk) wrote:
: Oh bloody hell. Iron Maiden too? Kill yourself now. KILL YOURSELF NOW.
: K I L L Y O U R S E L F N O W. killyourselfnow. kiLLyOurSeLFnOw.
Kill yourself kill yourself why don't you kill yourself
don't rely on someone else
kill yourself kill yourself now
-SoD
(or a reasonable facsimile thereof)
--Scarecrow, having flashbacks to his pre-industrial days
-----------------------------------------
Burn bright, burn hard, burn out and
leave behind a well scarred corpse
so all will know that you have lived.
-----------------------------------------
GothCode v2.5: GoEn6.5$DJ2 TInAnYcs cDBRw4(8) PLGSa M3 ZGoiGo C6c a26-
b65 H179 g5T w6T r3 h3 s10 k5 Rz SrNn N0292 LusFL
Jennifer Basil
coates (coa...@is.nyu.edu) wrote:
: Jennifer Basil (ba...@bio.bu.edu) wrote:
: : Jenny, Geek.
: Ah, and they're are those who say that asgx is dead.
And they say it every 18 months or so! :)
Though I admit the amount of spammage has increased.....
And! I have to yelp: AUSTRALIA IS FABULOUS I LOVE IT LOVE IT HERE!!!!!
Jenny, no accent yet..aside from how I say "Yeah". :)
Chris Lyons
Andrew W Greenwood (awg4...@pegasus.cc.ucf.edu) wrote:
: Paul Gorman (eq...@westminster.ac.uk) wrote:
:
: : Oh bloody hell. Iron Maiden too? Kill yourself now. KILL YOURSELF NOW.
: : K I L L Y O U R S E L F N O W. killyourselfnow. kiLLyOurSeLFnOw.
:
: Kill yourself kill yourself why don't you kill yourself
: don't rely on someone else
: kill yourself kill yourself now
: -SoD
: (or a reasonable facsimile thereof)
Remember, DOWN!!!! NOT ACROSS!!!
--
_______________________________________________________________
| |
| cly...@cris.com http://www.cris.com/~clyons |
| "Ten million lemmings can't all be wrong!" |
| --Button hanging proudly in Micky DuPree's room |
---------------------------------------------------------------
Edward Johnson
Andrew W Greenwood (awg4...@pegasus.cc.ucf.edu) wrote:
: Paul Gorman (eq...@westminster.ac.uk) wrote:
: : Oh bloody hell. Iron Maiden too? Kill yourself now. KILL YOURSELF NOW.
: : K I L L Y O U R S E L F N O W. killyourselfnow. kiLLyOurSeLFnOw.
: Kill yourself kill yourself why don't you kill yourself
: don't rely on someone else
: kill yourself kill yourself now
: -SoD
Ah, SOD. Every 14 year old's first hardcore band.
Ever and Always
Edvamp