Share Paper: PORTRAIT OF A NERD

  1. Kari Kumpulainen, University of Oulu, Finland
Wednesday, June 25 6:15 PM-8:00 PM Maui/Kauai

Abstract: Outside the official education system there has been a rise of new technology related sub-cultures. One indication of this phenomena is Assembly LAN party: In every August about 5000 computing enthusiastics – nerds – are bunching together. Usually these nerds has been seen as lonely hermits. Why are they then coming together to party like this? Is the reason educative or is it all about longing for social contacts? This article will introduce some preliminary results about the PhD-research made among the computing nerds. It will cover statistical data about the questionaire presented for 300 Assembly2002 participants. Interviews and videos ...