If you need help feel free to post here!

[tattoomike68]

There are some computer nerds here who have a clue.

Feel free to ask in this board.

 

[mklotz]

I realize that "geek" and "nerd" have infiltrated American English but does that mean that we have to use such derogatory terms in this forum?

Skills are just that - skills. We don't describe concert violinists as fiddlers or published authors as scribblers. We don't say that we build toy engines. Just because one lacks certain knowledge or skills doesn't mean that it's necessary to denigrate those who possess them.

 

[gilessim]

Marv, I would agree with you on all points there (I, however, am English) but let's not get too subjective here, due to linguistic evolution, "geek" and "Nerd" are no longer derogatory terms, but are in fact in general usage these days,I think that we have enough to worry about, without being offended by "bad words", we are in 2007!.....Giles

 

[Brass_Machine]

Considering I am in the IT industry... the term geek or nerd really isn't derogatory anymore. Most wear the title as a badge of honor.

I call myself those all the time. So do most of my co-workers... and none of us are what you would picture as a 'geek' or 'nerd'...

Hell... we have an IT provider here in the states called 'Geek Squad'...

 

[mklotz]

As you wish. However, be careful using any computer advice from me if you've referred to me as a geek or nerd.

 

[Cedge]

Marv
You and I are of a generation where the terms Geek and Nerd were labels of social death...LOL It's actually kind of refreshing to see that has change and the Geeks and Nerds of the world are finally having their day in the sun after all those painful days of simply being considered odd. After all these years of computer hard gained experience I kinda like the fact that it implies we are needed to keep things running. Sort of like being Digital age John Waynes, but with pocket protectors instead of a horse and a colt 45....LOL

Steve

 

[shred]

I'm with Marv..

My day job involves some pretty cool R&D for a big computer maker, but not many here would be keen on those labels. I'll have to question the next batch of interns to see what the feeling amongst the twentysomethings is.

 

[tattoomike68]

I wear the title of "geek" and "nerd" with pride even thouge Im a big dude 6' 3" 237 LBS with 37 tattoos.

Am I a geek or nerd? hell yes I am, and damn proud of it.. ;D

Considering I am in the IT industry... the term geek or nerd really isn't derogatory anymore. Most wear the title as a badge of honor.

I call myself those all the time. So do most of my co-workers... and none of us are what you would picture as a 'geek' or 'nerd'...

Hell... we have an IT provider here in the states called 'Geek Squad'...

Amen brother.

I was one of the first forum owners to add streaming television, radio and a juke box to my site. After that everyone started doing it.

I get a cool idea and make it work and the copy cats all do it, I love that.

 

[rake60]

Geek????

In 1976 a computer display was a black CRT screen with neon green text on it.
We'd program for two days to make a circle dance around and twist on that CRT. And CELIBRATE the accomplishments!!!! LOL

Rick

 

[Brass_Machine]

Ya know I almost brought up the fact that I am 6" 220 pounds. Tattoed as well... full back etc. Studied martial arts for almost all my life. Ex police. ex Army etc... All very 'non geeky' things.

Yet I still am proud of being a geek. I tell people that all the time.

 

[Cedge]

Rick
First encounter with a puter was in 1970. Our's was one of 3 high schools in the state to have a connection to a brand new main frame located at Clemson University. You spent weeks punching tape to get a one hour session at the teletype machine. After that you waited weeks for the real time access account to accumulate time credit to let you try to debug your previous session's paper tape. Some of us never managed enough credit time to complete the debugging. You sent your tape up and then waited up to 3 days to get the results back, printed out on the teletype machine.

Can you say Ferrite Core Memory?... thats a metal frame with hundreds of wires running at 90° with each intersection threading through a small iron ring. 1's and 0's were recorded depending on which wire was energized to magnetize the ring. If memory serves, a single frame would hold 16 bits. The computer held several hundred banks of memory frames. You had to use patch cords on breadboards to set up the processing section.

I came back to puters in the late 80's just about when Windows version 3 and PC's first began to replace word processors. I briefly messed with a couple of Tandy/RadioShack TRS 80's a friend owned before making the jump to a PC. I still hate hacking together code, all these years later. Basic, Cobol and Fortran were enough for this tender brain.

that first PC was nearly a Buck Rogers experience. It was 12 MhZ, had a 4 meg hard dive and a whopping 64Kof on board memory and a color montior. The real kicker was the extra 150 bucks I paid for a state of the art 600 baud modem. I was dazzled that you could work in real time and actually see the action on screen...LOL. I had main a couple frame gurus dropping by just to play Solitare in real time. I still miss being able to use the full compliment of DOS command line tricks and switches. Moore's Law has sure changed things a bit since then...LOL

Steve

 

[rake60]

"Syntax Error Line 23"
"Syntax Error Line 59"
"Syntax Error Line 104"

Thankfully there were no 20 pound hammers in the room!!! LOL

Seriously in 1997 I did online computer tech support.
I was between marriages and my family's Christmas was always on Christmas Eve, so I'd work the support lines on Christmas Day for a couple of major manufacturers of the time period. Customers were amazed that the "Support Center" was open on Christmas Day. They didn't know it was an unshaven guy in the corner of his living room wearing sweat pants, swigging beer and smoking cheap cigars. We will never tell them!

Rick

 

[tattoomike68]

My first compter was a commadore Vic -20 4k of ram but I spit and stacked 5 cords of wood for my dad to buy a 64k memory card.

I was a wizzaed at CBM basic and could write machine code subroutines for the bigger jobs.

I wrote programmers aid tools like sprite editors and other stuff that would write a data file to casset tape.

from 1992 to 1998 I did not think about computers, I was busy being a tom cat and trying to get all the gals to take thier clothes off.

 

[Brass_Machine]

"Syntax Error Line 23"
"Syntax Error Line 59"
"Syntax Error Line 104"

Thankfully there were no 20 pound hammers in the room!!! LOL

Seriously in 1997 I did online computer tech support.
I was between marriages and my family's Christmas was always on Christmas Eve, so I'd work the support lines on Christmas Day for a couple of major manufacturers of the time period. Customers were amazed that the "Support Center" was open on Christmas Day. They didn't know it was an unshaven guy in the corner of his living room wearing sweat pants, swigging beer and smoking cheap cigars. We will never tell them!

Rick

Bahaha!

There were days (usually weekends) at one of my old jobs, me and another co-worker would be sitting in the office taking level 3 support calls drinking beer and smoking ciggs...

Eric

 

[tattoomike68]

I learned about webmastering from running a porn site, the problem was all the porn was to my taste and it was 90% shaved redheads.

 

[Cedge]

90% shaved redheads.

Now there is a perfect definition of an immoral act...LOL

Steve

 

[rake60]

If you want to make $$$ on the internet, porn is the field to work.

If your not interested in $$$ try starting up a free forum dedicated to home model engine builders. You might be supprised just how far it can go.

I KNOW I SURE AM!!!! ;D

Rick

 

[Tin Falcon]

When I was in HS in the late '70s I took a class in programming Fortran.
This was when Holerith (Punch Cards) were in use ,the stacks of cards were carted off at night where computer time was rented from the gas company. My first computer was a Commodore 64 with tape drive I could not afford the disk drive for it. Took Fortran and C++ in college.
Tin

 

[SmoggyTurnip]

We don't describe concert violinists as fiddlers or published authors as scribblers.

Hey - I am a "Geek", "Nerd", and a "Fiddler". And proud of them all!

It's funny because my father would always be insulted if you called him a violinist!

 

[bretk]

I too am a Geek, HS grad 86 Huge revenge of the nerds fan, still laugh like that , Commodore 64 with a tape drive then "upgraded to a Commodore 128" Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineer - Major Rocket Propulsion (Yes a Rocket Scientist :big Purdue University (Dream in college was to buy my own Sun Computer <never did>) Then trashed it all and changed professions in 97. But still proud to be a Nerd, although I did finally get contacts 8)
-Bret