While staring at my screen as I put together my next post in my noggin, I idly started typing things into Google. Being a technology geek, I tend to use search strings to see what people like me are looking for. I typed “How to be a Geek” into the search box and was actually stunned at the results. The Internet has it completely wrong – and so do you. The definition of the word itself just isn’t right y’all. Being a geek has nothing to do with carnival performers, computer gurus or peculiar people.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: a geek is someone who is passionate about something. There are computer geeks, sure. There are also gardening geeks, motorcycle geeks and word puzzle geeks. Everyone has a passion of some type. I don’t honestly care if you love playing the drums, writing poetry, playing a sport or simply sitting next to the ocean while staring into space. Those things which are you most involved with and excited about are what make you a geek.

I hate seeing the geek label being used in a derogatory manner more than I explain. Those who don’t know any better assume that a geek is someone who hides behind a computer screen, has no social skills and is unkempt. Sure, there are people like that out there somewhere. There are also those of us who have vibrant lives outside of our online world, who are obsessively clean AND who know how to converse in social settings.

Being a geek of any type is something to be proud of. Proclaiming yourself as one means simply that you truly care about whatever it is you’re doing. You love it… you eat, sleep and breathe it. You LIVE it. Can anyone explain to me how in the hell embracing our passions is a bad thing?

A geek cannot be stuffed into one tidy little description. When I polled Twitter to find out how all of you define this term, one answer stood head and shoulders above the rest. Kristijan said that “A geek is someone who would never succeed in defining “geek” in 140 characters or less.” Right on!

What type of geek are you?

How to Be a Geek

Geeks are everywhere. We tend to hold some of the coolest jobs on the planet. Our group has some of the most amazing (and personable!) people as core members. The gang is widely accepted socially these days – right? Sadly, this isn’t always the case. Why is it that even in the days of phenomenal technological advances we still sometimes have to hide who we are? Why are geeks ostracized in any capacity?

One teen on Lockergnome reports that his mom told him to not tell people he is a geek. Say what?! He explains further by saying: “When I call myself a geek in front of people, they don’t seem to understand what I mean. Some people misinterpret it for being the Hollywood stereotyped ‘I love school, reading books, doing homework and physically weak nerd.’”

I cannot believe that people feel as though being a geek is a bad thing. Hell, a geek isn’t necessarily even someone who is a computer lover. A geek is anyone who is passionate about something, whether that be technology, water polo or art class.

What are your thoughts? Do you feel there are still negative connotations in conjunction with the word geek?

• Should Sony have won their jailbreaking case?
• People are more important than gadgets.
• Organized web monsters are finding jobs quite easily these days.
• Is it possible to add a WiFi adapter to a D-Link router?
• How do you handle it when your own parents tell you not to call yourself a geek?
• Save yourself a wad of dough by planting your seeds for next year in a toilet paper roll.
• Have you ever done an acid3 test?
• Have you ever ghosted a portable drive to install on a fresh machine?
• What is the best gadget you have ever used?
• Some people will be spending their long weekend testing software.
• Who do you think is the most “important” person in computer history?
• What types of problems would cause a newer computer to shut itself off at random times?
• I don’t know why everybody’s getting upset at @KevinRose over Digg changes. He’s AWESOME – always has been, always will be.
• Do you have an addiction to a specific type of food?
• Wake up and fix your support, Microsoft!
• Toshiba is recalling overheating laptop machines, saying that the AC adapter could melt.
• What would cause a scanner to refuse to install?
• What has been your favorite operating system of all time?
• How do you evaluate social media helpers?
• What is the one piece of software you recommend to others most often?
• I refer to annoying people who check in EVERYWHERE as “Foursquare Badgers.”
• How much space do you REALLY need on that portable device?
• Do you need a beginner’s guide to wireless network administration?
• Which project management tools can you not live without?
• When I almost walk into someone while I’m staring at my device’s screen, I quickly have to do the “iPad Shuffle.”
• How can you easily and quickly remove double entries in iTunes?
• IKEA is working to build an (almost) completely Green store.
• Fat cells are not just dormant storage facilities for calories.
• StreamArmor is a free tool for discovering hidden alternate data streams (ADS) as well as cleaning them completely from the system.
• Which mobile media strategies actually work?
• Can all camcorders be used as webcams?
• What types of things do you collect?

Our software center always has the hottest apps and software at the best prices you can find.

How to Come Out of the Geek Closet

High school is the best four years of your life – and the worst. It’s difficult for anyone to navigate their way through the ups, downs and drama. Believe it or not, even the popular crowd struggles on a daily basis just trying to survive. Imagine what it’s like for those of us who are Geeks! We’ve been looked down upon, picked on and stuffed into lockers for years. Now that Geeks are actually becoming “cool,” it may not be the nightmare that I recall. So, then, I ask you: what tips do you have on surviving high school for the younger members of our community?

To be honest, it’s not only Geeks that could use a little help. As I already mentioned, it’s pretty much every teenager who ever walked the planet that I want to help. Let’s put our heads together and come up with some excellent tips and tricks to give them. When I’ve collected several of them, I’ll publish a new post – just in time for back-to-school. Leave your tips here as a comment to the post.

• Windows-powered tablets are moving full speed ahead.
• Which wireless mic system works best for you?
• What would you do for a Klondike bar?
• Microsoft will be releasing an emergency security update on Monday.
• How do you type foreign characters using your English keyboard?
• Is Yahoo Japan and Google partnering up – or not?
• What is the difference between a bit and a byte?
• Comcast is a study in contrasts. Which side of the fence are you on?
• When we buy a product, shouldn’t it just WORK?
• Which Mac restore discs should work for a PowerBook G4?
• Should developers phase out Windows XP support?
• Retro Windows users, rejoice!
• Best Buy will begin offering ClearWire WiMax.
• Why would your iPhone 4 have a stuck lock button?!
• Would you trust a teenager to fix your computer?
• Internet Explorer 9 – what is the reason we care?
• Redbox will begin offering Blu-Ray movies for only $1.50 a night.
• Is Internet Explorer a virus magnet – or not?
• What component on a computer determines how much RAM you can install?
• You may be waiting on a white iPhone. You could always grab one loaded with diamonds, instead.
• The new Kindle is smaller, faster and lighter… but will sales take off?
• Do you still listen to a traditional radio station?
• What methods and practices have NOT been drastically changed over the years by technology advances?
• What are the benefits of using email marketing for your website or blog?
• How do you discover what people are saying online?
• Do you have an expensive habit?
• What does Apple have against touchscreens for desktop machines?
• How do you manage your contacts?
• Are you (or your cat) a lumberjack?

Every teen needs excellent software on their computer when they head back to the classroom. Don’t forget to check out our software center to find the best deals on all of the must-have titles.

How Does a Geek Survive High School?

Add to iTunes | Add to YouTube | Add to Google | RSS Feed

I’m a douchebag, this I know. For the button tells me so.

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code:

<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZFzQnhfyFCE"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ZFzQnhfyFCE" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://chris.pirillo.com/">Chris</a> | <a href="http://live.pirillo.com/">Live Tech Support</a> | <a href="http://media.pirillo.com/">Video Help</a> | <a href="http://feeds.pirillo.com/ChrisPirilloShow">Add to iTunes</a>

I’m a Douchebag?

My mouth hit the floor when I read the title of this thread earlier on Geeks. A drawback to being a Geek – what?! Are you kidding me? Being a Geek is the best possible thing to be. We have it all – brains, looks, girls… what more could we want? The looks, well, just because they are funny looks at times means nothing. It’s just part of the total package that makes us so amazingly perfect, right? And the girls – ahhh, the girls – we all know that Geek boys get all the girls, right? Wait, what? You have trouble finding a girlfriend? Well, perhaps if you showered more often, and stopped being so nervous around the fairer sex. Fine. The looks and the girls may be lacking. But we have the brains! And the brains get us the money! And the money gets us more Geeky gadgets! Who needs girls, anyway?

Ok, time to get serious here, my fellow Geeks. Do you actually feel there are drawbacks to being a Geek? I’m interested in hearing your answers. For me – life is good when you’re a Geek. I’m comfortable with who, what and how I am… and I wouldn’t have it any other way. But I know that not everyone would agree, so let’s have it.

• We’ll take a cup of whatever Congress is drinking.
• Small dogs do a big job.
• Even a broken clock is right twice a day.
• Are you a social musician?
• An easy-to-understand chart explains Windows licensing requirements.
• Braid is winding its way to the Playstation Network soon.
• Freaks, Geeks and Nerds – who are you?
• Verizon will be nearly doubling their termination fee.
• Is AMD headed in the right direction?
• Researchers unlock the “sound of learning”.

There are hundreds of excellent titles available at our downloads site, including games and other fun things to do!

[awsbullet:social media music]

Are There Any Drawbacks to Being a Geek?

This is Barbara’s submission for the HP Magic Giveaway. Feel free to leave comments for this article as you see fit – your feedback is certainly welcomed! If you’d like to submit your own how-to, what-is, or top-five list, you can send it to me. Views and opinions of this writer are not necessarily my own:

Maybe it’s just me, but I believe there are many differences between the expression and characteristics of a “Geek” and a “Nerd”. Obviously, the typical nerd does not compare to the status of a geek today – but what are they?

Have nerds just evolved over the past decade or have we merely accepted their existence? Has the “Revenge of the Nerds” era reached its burial grounds or have they simply diversified? Are the nerds emerging from the depths of “yuck” into the swans of the future – or were they always that way and we just didn’t see it? One thing’s for sure – they don’t look like they used to anymore, nor do they fit the personalities of what was once typical for a nerd (gross, disgusting, and in a field of their own).

I began to ponder these questions. I jotted down the obvious (characteristics, endeavors, etc.) and came up with an amusing acronym for both of them in order to do some clarification. Note that this isn’t in any way the true acronym, but in the name of the HP Magic Giveaway, please humor me a little:

A GEEK has {Great Expectations for Exceeding Keenness} and a NERD displays {Nothing Extraordinary Regarding Dynamics}.

Sounds simple enough, right? They’re both smart, but a “geek” exceeds the expectations of everyone and is eminent, while a nerd is anything but. The “nerd” lacks any sense of power between the two groups (geeks and nerds) and is anything but extraordinary.

Way back when, a nerd was an embarrassment to society, as they portrayed the typical “yuk” appearance and weren’t exactly the model citizen. Sure, they were smarter than the rest of us, but did anyone really want to be classified as such? I mean, really! They carried their pocket calculator and dressed in the distinctive plain white “button up” T and wore those wretched high water pants as if they were preparing for a major flood. Oh, and we mustn’t forget that horrible tape around their glamorous eye wear. They were such a mockery to the rest of us…

Then, something strange began to happen. The nerds were transitioning, like an alien invasion across the world. Suddenly, they were hidden among us. Nerds were evolving into something more, something acceptable. They became what we now know as the “GEEKS”. GEEKS were receiving followers from across the waters. They were a new world phenomenon – they could look great AND be smart. Now, rather than turning our heads with shame at them, we absorb what they have to say, we flock at their every whim, we trifle at their intelligence with awe and we go crazy with their appearances (sexy / hot).

So, the question is: what is a GEEK? What is a NERD? As a society, are we just jealous – because now, not only do they (the GEEKS) have the smarts, but they have acquired the looks of the “elite” as well? I mean, it’s not like they’ve altered the chemical balance of their being… right?

What is a Geek? What is a Nerd?

Since the inception of Geeks, I’ve often wondered this: how and when did you know you were a Geek? I’ve always been one, I just didn’t realize it really until college. I asked everyone over at FriendFeed when they discovered the truth about themselves. Some of them were hilarious, while others were dead serious about their Geekitude.

What kind of Geek are you, and when did you realize it? Do you embrace your Geekitude, or do you hide it from others?

At What Point did You Know You Were a Geek?

Yes, the music video has officially been placed on YouTube. I’d say that it’s Yankovic’s geekiest one yet (far better than “It’s All About The Pentiums”). Are you white and nerdy? Watch this:

White and Nerdy