Comments on: What is a Geek? What is a Nerd?

By: Marcus Hamaker - TheSleepyGeek

Marcus Hamaker - TheSleepyGeek — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 14:19:39 +0000

Great article and I have been saying this forever. It reminds me of the difference between Trekkies and Trekkers.

I have always corrected people when being referred to as a nerd that the correct term is geek. Nerd is considered to be a negative whereas geek is a compliment.

Thanks for your article, I am going to link to it on my blog at http://www.thesleepygeek.com.

By: Ron Knights

Ron Knights — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 04:22:45 +0000

Thanks for the good article.

I’ve always been different from the rest of the crowd. It bothered me at times. But, most of the time, I was glad to have my own personality and my own visions.

I never really put a name to my experience till I watched the Nerd movies when I was in my 40s. Then I was proud to say “I’m a Nerd.”

Oh, but wait, I’m a Geek too.

Oh, and that image of the Nerds with the white shirts is a stereotype.

I hate white shirts, and never carried a calculator in my pocket. I gave up pocket protectors in the 1960s or 1970s.

When I was in high school, I didn’t always have the best clothes, but I never wore “waders” pants either.

By: Angie

Angie — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 02:51:39 +0000

I personally wish that I would be even considered to be a geek or nerd..maybe than I could figure a way to make more money..good job barbara

By: Pat

Pat — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 02:13:44 +0000

I have called people nerds and geeks and have been called the same by others and never thought of myself as either one.
May be there are no such animals but only what we percieve the other as.
In this era of P.C. we still see others as geeks or nerds but thats okay because we are all geeks or nerds at times even if we dont know it. For instance what kind of geek or nerd would spend so much time on this topic.
We all did.

By: Two Geeks and a Blog :: Geek Living :: Geek vs. Nerd: A Perspective

Two Geeks and a Blog :: Geek Living :: Geek vs. Nerd: A Perspective — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 00:59:36 +0000

[...] as: Geeks, Nerds Over at Chris Pirillo’s website Barbara has written a great theory on the evolution from “nerd” to “geek”. Having always considered the two terms mutually exclusive, this new perspective puts a [...]

By: Bob Starr

Bob Starr — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 00:53:00 +0000

An excellent explanation for the “evolution” of the Nerd into a Geek, Barbara. Bravo!

By: Nfan

Nfan — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 00:41:51 +0000

Thats nice, i was thinking about that too!

By: Sage Naumann

Sage Naumann — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 00:31:59 +0000

Thanks for this great article! Amazing job on defining the line between the nerd and the geek.

Everybody calls me a nerd. And it makes me mad.

So, thanks for pointing this out!

By: Joey Marino

Joey Marino — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 23:30:13 +0000

Intelligence has always been attractive, but we lived in a world where intelligence about math and technology wasn’t. Now that tech is in every aspect of our lives, nerds/geeks are socially acceptable groups partly because there are so many of us. Sitting in front of the computer and learning a new programming language or developing a useful application is so addicting because of the sense of accomplishment you feel. This can lead to more time in front of the terminal and less time out with friends. Today’s geek has the mobile computer and the cloud to aid in moving around. Also a few good role models like Chris and Kevin helped.

By: John

John — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 23:27:34 +0000

Reads like an article desperate to try and come up with a relevant topic, but not written very well, nor does it really make any sense.

By: Thomas O'Donnell

Thomas O'Donnell — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 23:12:32 +0000

I always thought the terms nerd and geek ment

Nerd – Good knowleage with general subjects

Geek – Great knowleage with computers

I always find myself as a geek, used to be called nerd at school but geek was never really said much. In college i was called a geek but i always accepted it, i knew i was a geek

If someone called me a geek i liked it because they didnt mean it offencively (lets hope) they knew i was really good with computers so if i explained something too techincal i get called a geek…..even a geek called me a geek, does that mean im twice the geek?