Linux geeks WAS [wplug] post gazette article response

[Beth Lynn]

Hi,

When I used the word geek I did so because of the positive and negative
connotations.

First the positive
I have been publicly and proudly proclaiming myself as a geek
since 1996. It's a matter of culture, community, and spirit to be
geek. We troubleshoot, build stuff, and fix things just because we
like to do so. Even technophobes often refer to those who have a 
good command on technology as geeks. We even celebrate how great
it is to be so different by holding our own beauty pageant!
http://www.sexiestgeekalive.com/
Or how about the game show "Beat the Geeks"
http://www.loogslair.com/gameshow/rules/geeks.html
Or how about slashdot
http://www.slashdot.org
Or even the thinkgeek store
http://www.thinkgeek.com

(OK, now I'm being an obnoxious geek. I promise no more URLs)

Now the negative
Geeks bite the heads off of chickens. (j/k)
Seriously, geeks are portrayed as socially awkward males to stay
at home guzzling insane amounts of caffeine sitting countless 
hours in front of a computer screen hacking out code like we have
something to prove.
Also, thanks to the dot com days, people geeks as overpaid eggheads
who get to marry super-models due to our rock star salaries. (that
was from a recent GE TV commercials)

The point that I was trying to come across is Linux users aren't just
"that guy who knows infinitely more than you do about computers and
will make your self esteem drop a few points if you ask a stupid question"

Linux users a dynamic group of individuals who may or may not fit the
negative or positive connotation of the noun "geek" 

I'm considering this edit to the Post Gazette response...
s/geek/computer guru ?

With projects such as k-12 Linux terminal server project, I see 
Linux becoming very popular in non-higher education the upcoming 
years. http://www.k12ltsp.org/ (OK, I lied about the URLs)

Like it or not, more an more Linux applications catering to the 
pointy-clicky personality, thus we have Lindows. Sometimes someone 
throws together an open source knockoff of a highly expensive program
and pulls it off such as Open Office and The Gimp.

Linux is ready for *some* non geeks.
 
I hope that you folks won't all throw eggs at me for this one but
my mother recently asked me if she should go Linux since she's
had to reinstall windows me 50 times in the past year. I told her
no since it would be too much of a learning curve. Heck, this woman
STILL uses the win3.11 file manager on her windows me system since
she never could stand windows explorer. Nor could she live without
Eudora even though it constantly corrupts itself. If it were not
for the fact that she couldn't use modern versions of photoshop
she would have gone running back to Dos 6.22/Win 3.11 a long time 
ago. You will surely see people like this find Linux since they're
sick of all that is Microsoft, but my mother isn't ready, yet.
OK enough with that tangent.

This email as gone on long enough!

Thanks! Beth Lynn

On Fri, 23 Jan 2004, Burt E Reany wrote:

> 
> Geeks? Technophiles?  How about Bloatware? Gadzooks, we're in love with
> exotic words.  The Public isn't comfortable with that.
> 
> How about "leading-edge professionals who concentrate on highly efficient
> programs and methods, rather than rapid-development software that takes
> less time to develop, but takes more computer time to process each time
> that it is used.".
> 
> (bigotry) + (subtlety) => (Propaganda).
> 
>    "The pen is mightier than the sword - altho the sword speaks louder at
> any given moment"
> 
> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> This is a PRIVATE message. If you are not the intended recipient, please
> delete without copying and kindly advise us by e-mail of the mistake in
> delivery. NOTE: Regardless of content, this e-mail shall not operate to
> bind CSC to any order or other contract unless pursuant to explicit written
> agreement or government initiative expressly permitting the use of e-mail
> for such purpose.
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> wplug mailing list
> wplug at wplug.org
> http://www.wplug.org/mailman/listinfo/wplug
>