Comments on: “think geek”

By: Will

Will — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 20:49:15 +0000

“Can you show me an interesting, successful product that the geeks hate, but the non-geeks love?”
Interesting to whom? Us geeks?

By: futurepast

futurepast — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 08:22:42 +0000

A geek is someone who has forgotten they were once greek. Forget about “marketing” to geeks, listen to tompeters.com, you should be designing and marketing to .…. the future is in the past.

By: Adam

Adam — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 14:46:59 +0000

“Somebody who socializes via objects.”
As opposed to someone that treats objects like women?

By: David Everitt-Carlson

David Everitt-Carlson — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 07:20:04 +0000

Q: “Can you show me an interesting, successful product that the geeks hate, but the non-geeks love?”
A: Microsoft
(Well, okay, they fail on the “interesting” part.

By: ericabiz

ericabiz — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 00:56:21 +0000

“Can you show me an interesting, successful product that the geeks hate, but the non-geeks love?”
Sure: American Idol.

By: Phil Crissman

Phil Crissman — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 19:13:25 +0000

In Cringley’s “Triumph of the Nerds”, Douglas Adams said something similar; he said something like “A nerd is someone who uses a telephone to talk about telephones. By extension, a computer nerd is someone who uses a computer… in order to use a computer.”
Not exactly the same as “socializes via objects” but the spirit of the quote seems similar to me.

By: jth

jth — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 18:52:52 +0000

The Zune?

By: Shawn Lea

Shawn Lea — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 18:04:04 +0000

It hit me the other day — while going shopping for “entertainment” — the essence of capitalism is socializing with objects. So we’re all capitalist geeks, it seems.

By: Jonny Good

Jonny Good — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 12:34:13 +0000

What’s wrong with commodities? There are thousands of products out there that are hated by ‘geeks’ and enthusiasts — family cars, frozen food, cheap beer etc etc etc — that are nevertheless highly successful due to better prices,and better convenience. They certainly have a viable business plans based on efficiency, distribution and general business ruthlessness. I would suggest it not adequately preparing in this area that causes most businesses to fail, not having poor marketing — look at Stormhoek?!

By: hugh macleod

hugh macleod — Sat, 31 May 2008 18:58:18 +0000

Ian, I don;t think cheap PCs are much loved by anyone– they’re commodities, for the most part. Not the kind of business I would find that interesting, not to mention, easy to get into.

By: Mary Anne Davis

Mary Anne Davis — Sat, 31 May 2008 18:54:40 +0000

So true…

By: Ian Hay

Ian Hay — Sat, 31 May 2008 18:39:03 +0000

I think it’ much easier to market to geeks as they have a shiny toy aspect to them, I certainly do, but the problem is longevity, in actually making a product that geeks love but that can also translate to the mass market..
Can’t think off-hand of a mass market loved but geek hated product, cheap ugly PC’s come to mind though

By: olivier blanchard

olivier blanchard — Sat, 31 May 2008 17:50:43 +0000

You’re my new hero.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 31 May 2008 17:24:24 +0000

Aren.‘t the geeks the early adopters… I guess the product does need to appeal to geeks but long term, doesn’t the product also need to make sense to non-geeks?

By: Connie Reece

Connie Reece — Sat, 31 May 2008 17:17:02 +0000

Hugh, I think it’s an age-old principle: “The geeks shall inherit the earth.”