Jimcat's Geek Code

I originally created a geek code entry for myself sometime in 1996. As time went on, both the code and my own circumstances changed several times. I updated the geek code page in 1997, and then forgot about it for a few years. The anticipation was that a "millennium" version of the Geek Code would be created to reflect changing standards of technology and geekdom, but the code's author seems to have abandoned that project, for reasons that make sense to me. See www.geekcode.com for the full explanation.

So, as I put this together at the end of 2002, I realize that updating my geek code at all is more an exercise in nostalgia than any sort of useful undertaking. Only people who know me well are even going to look at this page, and only those who were around during the pioneer days of the Web will fully appreciate it. But let's face it, a personal web page is often little more than an exercise in self-indulgence, so if it makes sense to me, that's what really counts.

Thus, my Geek Code circa 2002-03. If you'd like to see some historical snapshots of my geekdom, you can look at my code from 1998 or my code from 1996. This is based on Version 3.12 of the Geek Code.

Some further explanation, for those who may need it:

GS/CS/TW/O

Geek of Science, Computer Science, Technical Writing, and Other. I was disappointed to see that there was no "Geek of History" category, although that may fall under "Geek of Humanities".

d+@

My employment has changed several times over the past few years, some requiring more formal dress than others. As a result, I've accumulated quite a wide range of clothes, and will dress appropriately for whatever occasion may arise. My current employer maintains a "business casual" dress standard, although I like to wear a jacket and tie to work occasionally just to keep people guessing.. Hanging around at home, I will usually go back to jeans and t-shirt.

s+:

I'm about six feet tall with a medium build.

a

I was born on September 23, 1968. You do the math.

C++$

Computers have been a major part of my life since I entered college. In fact, since I left school, it's been how I've made my living.

L

I'm a strong supporter of Linux in principle. However, it's been a long time since I did any sysadmin work, and I don't have any good reason to install my own operating system at home, so I have no hands-on experience with it.

UB+

Although I'm not a programmer, I learned just enough Unix to be dangerous while I was at RPI. As far as I'm concerned, all the other operating systems are either poor substitutes or kiddie toys.

P

Not really interested in Perl.

E

Emacs was once my favorite editor, but in the past few years I've done less and less actual file manipulation in a Unix environment. Would you believe that this file was created in Microsoft Word? Ten years ago I would have wanted to hang myself for even thinking of doing such a thing. Then again, ten years ago, no Microsoft product could even handle HTML. Such is the march of "progress".

W++

Once again, look how times have changed. In 1996, just knowing what the World Wide Web was marked you as part of a technological elite. Now it's part of everyone's daily life. Sometimes I wish we could go back to the old days, but then again, it's great to be able to check weather, travel schedules, stock prices, and just about everything else with a few clicks of the mouse.

N

This used to be a major part of my life. From about 1991 to 1993, I was in the "N+++" category: I'd spend so much time reading and posting to Usenet that by the time I cycled through all my groups, the next batch of news would have come in and I could start all over. I made several friends, and one major romance, through Usenet. Now I don't read it at all. Occasionally I'll search through it using groups.google.com, either to track down some of my old posts or to check up on some new information that may have been posted. Amazingly enough, in some of the groups, the major names posting today are the same ones that were posting ten years ago. In some ways, I'm glad that I've moved on.

o

Usenet Oracle? Boy, that brings back some memories. It was a lot of fun back in the day. In fact, the Ballad of the Eggplant Threat made quite an impression on me, and a few years ago I rescued it from Net oblivion by saving a copy from one of the old Oracle archives. I don't know if the Oracle still exists today; certainly a lot of the earliest stuff is no longer archived.

K+++++

No, actually I haven't had sex with Kibo. But I knew him before he was Kibo, and that should count for something.

w$

Almost everything that I do at work is done in Microsoft Windows. That doesn't mean I like it. As time goes by, though, I find both myself and the world coming to accept Windows as the de facto standard. All of my favorite games run in Windows, which is a big plus right there.

O-

One of my previous jobs involved documenting some applications that ran in OS/2. In my opinion, OS/2 combines the worst features of MS Windows and Unix. Blech.

M---

I created an extreme that's off the scale of the official Geek Code, because the words do not exist to describe my utter loathing and contempt for all Macintosh computers and those who use them. In my opinion, the entire concept behind the Macintosh is severely flawed. Computers are not meant to be easy to use. Making them easy allows idiots to use them, and that makes life more annoying for those of us who know what we are doing. People who need a Macintosh should either invest some time and energy into acquiring a clue, or leave the computers to those of us intelligent enough to understand them.

V--

I hate VMS, but for no rational reason. I think it was a bad experience with the Vax machines at RPI that so traumatized me.

PS+

My feelings on politics are difficult to categorize. Although I think that much of our current social welfare system is flawed, I do tend to lean towards the attitude that a civilized society should be willing to care for those people who are less able to care for themselves.

PE(+)(-)

I'm really off the traditional spectrum here. I think that taxes have their purpose, but right now we're spending too much, and on the wrong things.

Y

I know of the cypherpunk movement, but fail to see what the big deal is.

PGP-

I don't really have much use for encryption. No offense to those who do.

t+

There are very few good shows on television, in my opinion. Star Trek was one of the few I didn't mind watching. I must admit, though, I gave up on even this show about midway through "The Next Generation". Couldn't get into "Deep Space Nine" at all, only saw one or two "Voyager" episodes, and don't know a thing about the "Enterprise" series. It's possible to have too much of a good thing, and I think that the franchise might benefit from a few years' hiatus.

5

Saw a few episodes of Babylon 5. Not bad, but I don't have any interest in following it.

X(+)

I actually liked the episodes of the X-Files that I saw. If I watched more TV, I might have followed it regularly.

R-

I used to play a lot of role playing games up until high school, then lost interest. I dabbled in a few when I got to RPI, but all things considered, I can think of a lot of better things to do with my time.

(!)tv--

Technically speaking, I have a television in the house, but I use it only as a box for playing videotapes. I have no cable and have never attempted to pick up a broadcast channel. During the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, I got my information from the radio and the Internet.

b++

Ah, here's my real entertainment category. Books are one of my favorite forms of recreation. Although I have less free time than I used to, I try to read two or three books per month.

DI+++

I am one of those people who read Dilbert and say "He must be talking about my workplace."

D--

Doom is not my kind of game at all.

G

I at least follow the Geek Code closely enough to have made this update. Personally, I think the old version was good enough, and more informative in some ways. But keeping up with the Joneses and all that... (or would that be keeping up with the Dilberts?)

e(+)

Maybe someday I'll get some sort of college degree. As time goes by, though, that becomes less and less likely. I've gotten along fine without one so far, and in my field, most potential employers are willing to accept "equivalent work experience".

h---

This is a big change since the last version. I've been sharing a home with my wife since we were married (and actually for a couple of years before that when we were engaged).

r+++

Married since August 5, 2000.

y+

I'm male, hetero, and believe in the importance of practicing safe sex. And that's all that I really want to go into here about my sex life.

Click here to return to the Slackwood Home Page.

Click here for a bit more about my personality.

Click here for my Geek Code circa 1998.

Click here for my Geek Code Circa 1996.

jimcat@panix.com