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The Geek Code, developed in 1993, is a series of letters and symbols used by self-described "
system for describing stars.
After a number of updates, the last revision of the code was v3.12, in 1996.
Some alternative encodings have also been proposed. For example, the 1997 Acorn Code was a version specific to users of Acorn Computers">Acorn's RISC OS computers.
GED/J d-- s:++>: 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++**
...or as a "Geek Code Block", a parody of the output produced by the encryption program PGP:
-----BEGIN GEEK CODE BLOCK-----
Version: 3.1
GED/J d-- s:++>: 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------
Note that this latter format has a line specifying the version of Geek Code being used.
(Both these examples use Hayden's own geek code.)
made a similar page available
in October 1999.Reference to the site first appears in the Internet Archive on October 7, 1999().
official Geek Code web site
(presenting v3.12) Internet self-classification codes Internet culture Lifestyle websites Nerd culture
The Geek Code, developed in 1993, is a series of letters and symbols used by self-described "geek
The word ''geek'' is a slang term originally used to describe eccentric or non-mainstream people; in current use, the word typically connotes an expert or enthusiast obsessed with a hobby or intellectual pursuit. In the past, it had a general ...
s" to inform fellow geeks about their personality
Personality is the characteristic sets of behaviors, cognitions, and emotional patterns that are formed from biological and environmental factors, and which change over time. While there is no generally agreed-upon definition of personality, m ...
, appearance, interests, skills, and opinions. The idea is that everything that makes a geek individual can be encode
The Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE) is a public research project which aims to identify functional elements in the human genome.
ENCODE also supports further biomedical research by "generating community resources of genomics data, software ...
d in a compact format which only other geeks can read. This is deemed to be efficient in some sufficiently geeky manner.
It was once common practice to use a geek code as one's email or Usenet signature, but the last official version of the code was produced in 1996, and it has now largely fallen out of use.
History
The Geek Code was invented by Robert A. Hayden in 1993 and was defined at geekcode.com. a_similar_code_for_the_a_similar_code_for_the_Bear_(gay_culture)">bear_subculture_-_which_in_turn_was_inspired_by_the_Yerkes_spectral_classification_scheme.html" "title="Bear_(gay_culture).html" ;"title="The Natural Bears Classification System">a similar code for the bear_subculture_-_which_in_turn_was_inspired_by_the_Yerkes_spectral_classification_scheme">Yerkes_spectral_classification_
In_astronomy,_stellar_classification_is_the_classification_of_stars_based_on_their_spectral_characteristics._Electromagnetic_radiation_from_the_star_is_analyzed_by_splitting_it_with_a_prism_or_diffraction_grating_into_a_spectrum_exhibiting_the__...
_system_for_describing_stars.Format
Geek codes can be written in two formats; either as a simple string:Encoding
Occupation
The code starts with the letterG (for Geek) followed by the geek's occupation(s): GMU for a geek of music
Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspe ...
, GCS for a geek of computer science etc. There are 28 occupations that can be represented, but GAT is for geeks that can do anything and everything - and "usually precludes the use of other vocational descriptors".
Categories
The Geek Code website contains the complete list of categories, along with all of the special syntax options.Decoding
There have been several '"decoders" produced to transform a specific geek code into English, including: * Bradley M. Kuhn, in late 1998, made Williams' program available as a web service. * Joe Reissmade a similar page available
in October 1999.Reference to the site first appears in the Internet Archive on October 7, 1999().
See also
* Leet Speak * New Speak *The Natural Bears Classification System The Natural Bears Classification System (NBCS), also called the bear code, is a set of symbols using letters, numbers and other characters commonly found on modern, Western world, Western computer keyboards, and used for the self-identification of " ...
* Signature block
References
{{ReflistExternal links
*Robert Hayden'official Geek Code web site
(presenting v3.12) Internet self-classification codes Internet culture Lifestyle websites Nerd culture