Geeks vs. Nerds

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Moohasha
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Geeks vs. Nerds

Post by Moohasha »

Inspired by today's xkcd. :D

The definition I grew up on is similar to his (hover text), that a geek is someone who is just really into something or knows a lot about it. So if you're into computers, you're a computer geek. If you know a lot about history, you're a history geek. But geeks still behave "normally" and can interact with others on things that aren't computers or history. Nerds, on the other hand, are dominated by their obsession. A computer nerd never leaves his computer. He thinks of it as a real person. His wardrobe consists entirely of shirts with his WoW characters and guild tabard on them. It becomes very obvious very soon that someone is a nerd and not just a geek. Usually, nerds have worse social skills than geeks because all they really care about is their nerdy obsession and could care less what others think about it, except those with the same obsession.

I, for one, think of myself as a computer geek with nerdy leanings. I spend the majority of my day (work and free time) on the computer. I make computer jokes to computer friends. I have a strong attachment to MY computer; it's not just "another machine". But I can go a week without being on it (if I have to :P ). I can go to social events and hangout with friends without ever bringing up programming or WoW or other computery things if none of them are into it.

Other's thoughts on the subject?
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lingfors
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Re: Geeks vs. Nerds

Post by lingfors »

I have no problems with geeks or nerds. The only thing I can't stand are people that rank certain activities or interests higher than others (such as socializing > spending time in front of a computer, even if socializing = "meeting friends at a café and spend 4 hours talking about make-up", while spending time in front of a computer = "spend 4 hours fine-tuning a new sorting algorithm that's faster than Quicksort").

I'm one of those persons that can't stand small talk though...
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Re: Geeks vs. Nerds

Post by nikki »

I think of it as geeks are the 'cool and fun people' while nerds are the 'boring' people - geeks do geeky things (computer programming, games, electronics, robots) because they find it fun, and they like hacking around and stuff, while nerds are just into the usual school studying and do it just for grades and maybe aren't truly 'into' what they do.

I imagine a geek in a black t-shirt with an Ogre logo, or a Linux joke, and jeans; while a nerd's wearing thick glasses, tight formal shirt, short pants worn high etc.
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Re: Geeks vs. Nerds

Post by Klaim »

I made some research about geeks for my game.
In fact, originally the geek word was "worse" than the nerd word as the first one said that the guy didn't have a social life (because of he's obsession with pointless technologies or maths etc) and nerd was more like geek today, someone really eager to understand a domain and participate to it, exploit it.
After some time the definitions of the two words switched while the geek word became more...famous.


Today, we know that women like geeks more than sportive guys.
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Re: Geeks vs. Nerds

Post by KungFooMasta »

Klaim wrote:Today, we know that women like geeks more than sportive guys.
:lol:
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Re: Geeks vs. Nerds

Post by lingfors »

Klaim wrote:Today, we know that women like geeks more than sportive guys.
So the word not only switched with nerd, but also with jock?
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Re: Geeks vs. Nerds

Post by AWM Mars »

I suspect both 'Geeks and Nerds' paved the way for people to use programmes like Ogre. You could say we are the 'dealers'. :shock: :lol:
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Re: Geeks vs. Nerds

Post by jacmoe »

Moohasha wrote:Inspired by today's xkcd. :D
LOL

Well, in my book:

A Geek is someone who is into something because it's fashionable.

A Nerd is into something because it's there.

Both Geeks and Nerds are into that something a lot more than 'normal' people would ever dream of being into it. :D
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Re: Geeks vs. Nerds

Post by Moohasha »

lingfors wrote:
Klaim wrote:Today, we know that women like geeks more than sportive guys.
So the word not only switched with nerd, but also with jock?
LOL
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Re: Geeks vs. Nerds

Post by xavier »

I cannot tell where this thread ends and that cartoon begins...
Do you need help? What have you tried?

Image

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Re: Geeks vs. Nerds

Post by Klaim »

Hehe sure it's a subject prone to humor anyway ^^

Here is one of the source for what I said (but don't take it too seriously ;) ) : http://thetyee.ca/Life/2006/02/14/LoveTheGeeks/
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Re: Geeks vs. Nerds

Post by xavier »

LOL sorry if I was a bit too oblique -- it was a sideways comment on the fact that the thread was square in the middle of that Venn diagram. :)

For those who may not get it from the link at the top, here's that day's cartoon:

Image
Do you need help? What have you tried?

Image

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Re: Geeks vs. Nerds

Post by syd »

the author of this must be a geek :)
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Re: Geeks vs. Nerds

Post by AWM Mars »

syd wrote:the author of this must be a geek :)
Or needs to visit their optician :shock:
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Re: Geeks vs. Nerds

Post by jacmoe »

Geek + Nerd = Gerk ??
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Re: Geeks vs. Nerds

Post by Klaim »

Neek.




Just code it.
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