Comments on: geek is a relative term http://www.disambiguity.com/geek-is-a-relative-term/ pretty design pending Tue, 06 Jan 2009 09:42:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Matthias http://www.disambiguity.com/geek-is-a-relative-term/#comment-23451 Matthias Sun, 08 Jul 2007 20:30:42 +0000 http://www.disambiguity.com/2006/09/geek-is-a-relative-term/#comment-23451 Just wanted to say, that you are right! It's really rubbish! Just wanted to say, that you are right! It’s really rubbish!

]]> By: disambiguity - » BarCampLondon2 http://www.disambiguity.com/geek-is-a-relative-term/#comment-10529 disambiguity - » BarCampLondon2 Sun, 18 Feb 2007 22:52:33 +0000 http://www.disambiguity.com/2006/09/geek-is-a-relative-term/#comment-10529 [...] For me, I found that I got more out of this BarCamp than the last one. There seemed to be a lot less navel gazing around ‘being geeks’ and lots more just getting on with it. Also, I wasn’t able to coerce any of my workmates to come along with me, so I had much less of a safety blanket. This is a great strategy. I met lots more people at this BarCamp and had so many interesting chats. It does make walking into a room a little scary at first, but you just do it. Walk in. Find someone who doesn’t look too scary. Talk. [...] [...] For me, I found that I got more out of this BarCamp than the last one. There seemed to be a lot less navel gazing around ‘being geeks’ and lots more just getting on with it. Also, I wasn’t able to coerce any of my workmates to come along with me, so I had much less of a safety blanket. This is a great strategy. I met lots more people at this BarCamp and had so many interesting chats. It does make walking into a room a little scary at first, but you just do it. Walk in. Find someone who doesn’t look too scary. Talk. [...]

]]> By: disambiguity - » if it was *my* conference… (or, what makes a good presentation) http://www.disambiguity.com/geek-is-a-relative-term/#comment-6786 disambiguity - » if it was *my* conference… (or, what makes a good presentation) Sat, 21 Oct 2006 15:59:45 +0000 http://www.disambiguity.com/2006/09/geek-is-a-relative-term/#comment-6786 [...] I was partly inspired by my recent experience of BarCamp London, and the fact that I was surrounded by smart and creative people at EuroIA, but that it didn’t feel like this was being projected as best it could. [...] [...] I was partly inspired by my recent experience of BarCamp London, and the fact that I was surrounded by smart and creative people at EuroIA, but that it didn’t feel like this was being projected as best it could. [...]

]]> By: Riaz Kanani http://www.disambiguity.com/geek-is-a-relative-term/#comment-4177 Riaz Kanani Wed, 06 Sep 2006 21:50:05 +0000 http://www.disambiguity.com/2006/09/geek-is-a-relative-term/#comment-4177 lol! lol!

]]> By: leisa.reichelt http://www.disambiguity.com/geek-is-a-relative-term/#comment-4153 leisa.reichelt Wed, 06 Sep 2006 16:40:25 +0000 http://www.disambiguity.com/2006/09/geek-is-a-relative-term/#comment-4153 cue the 'what is design? who is a designer' discussion. eh! if we thought 'geek' was fraught! :) meanwhile, here's the link to <a target="_blank" title="DCamp" href="http://www.baychi.org/calendar/20060512/">DCamp</a> (aka, DesignCamp) info.<a target="_blank" title="DCamp" href="http://www.baychi.org/calendar/20060512/"> </a> cue the ‘what is design? who is a designer’ discussion.

eh! if we thought ‘geek’ was fraught! :)

meanwhile, here’s the link to DCamp (aka, DesignCamp) info.

]]> By: Riaz Kanani http://www.disambiguity.com/geek-is-a-relative-term/#comment-4151 Riaz Kanani Wed, 06 Sep 2006 16:35:29 +0000 http://www.disambiguity.com/2006/09/geek-is-a-relative-term/#comment-4151 not sure if i was very clear looking back on what i posted :) I am very much with leisa here - the different groups was what made barcamp for me - and is definitely a major reason why I would want to come again. So is designcamplondon only for designers? not sure if i was very clear looking back on what i posted :) I am very much with leisa here - the different groups was what made barcamp for me - and is definitely a major reason why I would want to come again.

So is designcamplondon only for designers?

]]> By: leisa.reichelt http://www.disambiguity.com/geek-is-a-relative-term/#comment-4140 leisa.reichelt Wed, 06 Sep 2006 15:18:19 +0000 http://www.disambiguity.com/2006/09/geek-is-a-relative-term/#comment-4140 hey everyone, thanks for the interesting discussion. I think I was more perplexed than offended by the not-geek thing. Labels are always weird things and I can understand how there are lots of different readings of 'what a geek is' depending on the context. obviously I was one of the minority who was kind of expecting a reasonably diverse crew at Bar Camp. Looking at the kind of people who get pulled into BarCamps and FooCamp in the States - it's a really diverse mob that includes techy geeks of all varieties, as well as lots of design types, marketing types, sociology types, academics, content people, business people... or are the non-geeks just the ones that I read about and that skews my perception? afterall, the explanation of BarCamp on the wiki is: <blockquote><em>BarCamp is an ad-hoc gathering born from the desire for people to share and learn in an open environment. It is an intense event with discussions, demos, and interaction from attendees.</em></blockquote> that doesn't say that it's mostly techy geeks and some others. why should there be only one non-techy stream? Afterall, I think what I do and what marketing people do are significantly different. And if we got some visual communications people along, where would they sit? I guess it depends on the purpose of BarCamp - whether diversity and cross pollination is a big important part of what BarCamp is. Or whether it's more about getting time to spend with likeminded and like-skilled people who you can learn from. (not to suggest that you can't learn from the others). Which, as it happens, is pretty much exactly the question that you were asking on Sunday, Ben. :) I was just reading a bit about DesignCamp this morning actually. Unfortunately, I'm still waiting on SocialText to design whether or not they'll grant me a login so that I can access the wiki and take a look. (no, I'm serious. I have to register and then, after a few days, they'll get back to me apparently). anyway - I reckon DesignCampLondon might be fun and interesting. But I'd still go back to BarCamp :) hey everyone, thanks for the interesting discussion.

I think I was more perplexed than offended by the not-geek thing. Labels are always weird things and I can understand how there are lots of different readings of ‘what a geek is’ depending on the context.

obviously I was one of the minority who was kind of expecting a reasonably diverse crew at Bar Camp. Looking at the kind of people who get pulled into BarCamps and FooCamp in the States - it’s a really diverse mob that includes techy geeks of all varieties, as well as lots of design types, marketing types, sociology types, academics, content people, business people… or are the non-geeks just the ones that I read about and that skews my perception?

afterall, the explanation of BarCamp on the wiki is:

BarCamp is an ad-hoc gathering born from the desire for people to share and learn in an open environment. It is an intense event with discussions, demos, and interaction from attendees.

that doesn’t say that it’s mostly techy geeks and some others.

why should there be only one non-techy stream? Afterall, I think what I do and what marketing people do are significantly different. And if we got some visual communications people along, where would they sit?

I guess it depends on the purpose of BarCamp - whether diversity and cross pollination is a big important part of what BarCamp is. Or whether it’s more about getting time to spend with likeminded and like-skilled people who you can learn from. (not to suggest that you can’t learn from the others).

Which, as it happens, is pretty much exactly the question that you were asking on Sunday, Ben.

:)

I was just reading a bit about DesignCamp this morning actually. Unfortunately, I’m still waiting on SocialText to design whether or not they’ll grant me a login so that I can access the wiki and take a look. (no, I’m serious. I have to register and then, after a few days, they’ll get back to me apparently).

anyway - I reckon DesignCampLondon might be fun and interesting. But I’d still go back to BarCamp :)

]]> By: Gina http://www.disambiguity.com/geek-is-a-relative-term/#comment-4062 Gina Tue, 05 Sep 2006 13:49:13 +0000 http://www.disambiguity.com/2006/09/geek-is-a-relative-term/#comment-4062 Hi! I pick a text of you about bloggers and i translate into spanish to everybody could read it. I think, it's amazing this text and it can't be just in english (in spain we are not very english-learners). Thank you for you auto-permision. Hi! I pick a text of you about bloggers and i translate into spanish to everybody could read it. I think, it’s amazing this text and it can’t be just in english (in spain we are not very english-learners). Thank you for you auto-permision.

]]> By: Riaz Kanani http://www.disambiguity.com/geek-is-a-relative-term/#comment-4044 Riaz Kanani Tue, 05 Sep 2006 09:02:11 +0000 http://www.disambiguity.com/2006/09/geek-is-a-relative-term/#comment-4044 I was chuckling on the way home from barcamp about how I was seen as a marketer - everywhere else i am the geek ;) It reminded me of the time when I used to visit London from Tamworth and everyone thought I had a brummy accent. On my return to Tamworth, everyone thought I had a London accent. Believe me when I say that is a lose lose situation ;) it seems everything is relative :) ben: it struck me when you referred to the programmers (etc) u were really talking about people interested in mashups - so maybe u could called them the mashers ? :) though i think the important thing was that we understood who you meant anyway.. I was chuckling on the way home from barcamp about how I was seen as a marketer - everywhere else i am the geek ;)

It reminded me of the time when I used to visit London from Tamworth and everyone thought I had a brummy accent. On my return to Tamworth, everyone thought I had a London accent. Believe me when I say that is a lose lose situation ;)

it seems everything is relative :)

ben: it struck me when you referred to the programmers (etc) u were really talking about people interested in mashups - so maybe u could called them the mashers ? :) though i think the important thing was that we understood who you meant anyway..

]]> By: Scott Mark http://www.disambiguity.com/geek-is-a-relative-term/#comment-4036 Scott Mark Tue, 05 Sep 2006 02:02:31 +0000 http://www.disambiguity.com/2006/09/geek-is-a-relative-term/#comment-4036 There are 2 kinds of people in the world: people who divide the world into 2 kinds of people, and people who don't! Leisa, if it makes you feel any better: YOU'RE A GEEK! My God, you were blogging from BarCamp!!?? ;-) There are 2 kinds of people in the world: people who divide the world into 2 kinds of people, and people who don’t!

Leisa, if it makes you feel any better: YOU’RE A GEEK! My God, you were blogging from BarCamp!!?? ;-)

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