Posted: 1/22/2008 11:14:39 AM EDT
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As a geek myself, I recognize that some topics of discussion SCREAM geek, and some are more subtle. I had a customer yesterday mention a "cat-o-nine-tails." So right there I'm thinking she either has a SCA / theater / Dungeons & Dragons past. What are some other subtle geek signs? |
I'm not sure that's what she was referring to. |
A good geek sign is talking to a woman that mentions an S&M toy and you're thinking D&D. |
Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner. |
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There are a few subtle hints I run across now and then. A lot of it is appearance and mannerisms. I can spot an IT guy a mile away. IT guys (and most engineers) have a certain way of thinking, that affects how they string sentences together. You'll know you're probably talking to a good geek if your conversation is littered with: "It depends" "Wait, let me step back a bit and explain this first" "Yes, but *technically*..." "I had an issue with..." Then of course, there's the obligatory references to geek culture that sometimes creep in. It can sometimes be hard to nail one as an IT guy, because we often go to great lengths to hide what we do for a living at social gatherings. Because every IT guy knows what comes next - "So, my computer at home is doing this thing, and I wondered if you could..." 
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Curious as well. I learned what a cat-o-nine-tails was and how to make an expedient version, if necessary. eta: Oops...this was a dumb post.. I forgot to mention that I learned that in gradeschool and I was curious as to how this relates to geekdom. |
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You'll also know you're talking to a geek, if you find that he interrupts you CONSTANTLY with "not necessarily". As it turns out, there is very little in life that doesn't have an obscure exception somewhere, and it's the geek's job to make sure you know about it.  |
Erm... umm... hold on...
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I was checkout out at a Borders book store once and a friend went through the line with me. I was wearing a "I read your e-mail" shirt. The girl at the counter starts flirting with me (I never seem to pick up on these things) and asks cutely "So... what DOES my email say?" I meant to say "I would never illicitly read someone elses' email" but in actuality what came out was "You have nothing worth reading"  I realized my mistake halfway through the sentence but by then I figured it was probably too late; so in for a penny in for a pound My friend was yelling at me as we left "WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING MAN!?" I just shrugged it off and went on with life. -Foxxz |
So few issues are black and white, it seems that anyone with a science background (except maybe mathematics?) or even a legal background will prefix answers like that. I do so all the time; pisses my wife off to no end. My only defense is "Anyone who makes an absolute statement about a non-trivial phenomenon is either lying to you or doesn't understand the situation". Of course, she isn't thrilled with my "defense", either :-/ -WhyTanFox |