Geek Code

The Geek Code is a series of letters and symbols used by self-described "geeks" to inform fellow geeks about their personality, appearance, interests, and opinions. The idea is that everything that makes a geek individual and different from all the other geeks in the world can be written down (encoded) in this very compact format. Then other geeks can read the geek code and work back from that to discover what the writer looks like, what interests s/he has, and so forth. This is deemed to be efficient in some sufficiently geeky manner.

Related Topics:
Geek - Personality - Individual - Encode - Efficient

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Geek Code was invented by Robert Hayden in 1993 and is defined at geekcode.com. The idea has subsequently been extended to many other occupations and groups, such as goths or furries, but the geek code is the original such code.

Related Topics:
Goth - Furries

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In some parts of the net, it was once common practice to use a geek code as one's signature, though those times are now long past. One of the consequences of being so old in such a fast-moving field is that much of the geek code now looks rather dated. The World Wide Web is described as "relatively new and little understood" - while the latter may still be accurate, the former certainly isn't. Creating a geek code for yourself is almost like nostalgia for nerds.

Related Topics:
Signature - World Wide Web - Nostalgia - Nerd

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Once created, geeks can use their geek codes anywhere they please. Previous places include emails, websites, letters, art, programming language comments, and even T-shirts. Nowadays, personal websites are the most common breeding ground, particularly any "about me" sections.

Related Topics:
Email - Website - Letter - Art - Programming language - T-shirt

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Robert Hayden's own geek code is:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

-----BEGIN GEEK CODE BLOCK-----

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

GED/J d-- a-- C++(++++) ULU++ P+ L++ E---- W+(-) N+++ o+ K+++ w--- O- M+ V-- PS++>$ PE++>$ Y++ PGP++ t- 5+++ X++ R+++>$ tv+ b+ DI+++ D+++ G++++ e++ h r-- y++**

Related Topics:
D-- - A-- - C++(++++) - ULU++ - P+ - L++ - E---- - W+(-) - N+++ - O+ - K+++ - W--- - O- - M+ - V-- - PS++>$ PE++>$ - Y++ - PGP++ - T- - 5+++ - X++ - R+++>$ - Tv+ - B+ - DI+++ - D+++ - G++++ - E++ - H - R-- - Y++**

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

------END GEEK CODE BLOCK------

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~