A person who has chosen concentration rather than conformity; one who
pursues skill (especially technical skill) and imagination, not
mainstream social acceptance. Geeks usually have a strong case of
{neophilia}. Most geeks are adept with computers and treat {hacker}
as a term of respect, but not all are hackers themselves -- and some
who are in fact hackers normally call themselves geeks anyway,
because they (quite properly) regard `hacker' as a label that should
be bestowed by others rather than self-assumed.
One description accurately if a little breathlessly enumerates
"gamers, ravers, science fiction fans, punks, perverts, programmers,
nerds, subgenii, and trekkies. These are people who did not go to
their high school proms, and many would be offended by the suggestion
that they should have even wanted to."
Originally, a geek was a carnival performer who bit the heads off
chickens. (In early 20th-century Scotland a `geek' was an immature
coley, a type of fish.) Before about 1990 usage of this term was
rather negative. Earlier versions of this lexicon defined a computer
geek as one who eats (computer) bugs for a living -- an asocial,
malodorous, pasty-faced monomaniac with all the personality of a
cheese grater. This is often still the way geeks are regarded by
non-geeks, but as the mainstream culture becomes more dependent on
technology and technical skill mainstream attitudes have tended to
shift towards grudging respect. Correspondingly, there are now `geek
pride' festivals (the implied reference to `gay pride' is not
accidental).
See also {propeller head}, {clustergeeking}, {geek out}, {wannabee},
{terminal junkie}, {spod}, {weenie}, {geek code}, {alpha geek}.
[glossary]
[Reference(s) to this entry by made by: {feature}{geek code}{geek out}{Get a life!}{gweep}{hacker}{knurd}{neophilia}{nerd}{propeller head}{turbo nerd}{ubergeek}{weenie}]