Talk: Newbies and Codgers symbols

Carl Grimes <gri...@habitats.com> wrote:
>Internet Newbie is such a common term now that it ought to have a 
>universally recognized symbol, either .sig sized or perhaps single line, like 
>the smilies.  Any ideas?

   How about :-?  I think it's been used for a joke smiley, but it 
might be a good one for newbies.

>As for Internet Codger, these are the old timers that grumpily defend the 
>nuances of the old ways and protest - sometimes even humorously - that the 
>rest of us don't know that you have to raise the left eyebrow, cross your toes 
>on the right foot while you enter the ctrl-X command in order to post to the 
>correct newsgroup; which, of course, you just failed at doing.  Or, you 
>posted to the correct newsgroup but asked the wrong question.  Or, asked 
>the right question but in the wrong format.  Or, ...  This term is new but 
>ought to have a symbol anyway.

   Hmmm ... that seems harder.  Anybody?

>Get the creative juices flowing and help start a new tradition!  Be the first 
>on your favorite newsgroup (hopefully the right one!) to use an entirely new 
>ascii-art symbol.

--
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Bob Allison (bob...@wwa.com) wrote:

: Carl Grimes <gri...@habitats.com> wrote:
: >Internet Newbie is such a common term now that it ought to have a 
: >universally recognized symbol, either .sig sized or perhaps single line, like 
: >the smilies.  Any ideas?

:    How about :-?  I think it's been used for a joke smiley, but it 
: might be a good one for newbies.

: >As for Internet Codger, these are the old timers that grumpily defend the 
: >nuances of the old ways and protest - sometimes even humorously - that the 

I believe the proper term is 'oldie' not 'codger,' thank you.

--
 "Smile!  Someone is logging your activities."  --ZP

>: Carl Grimes <gri...@habitats.com> wrote:
>: >Internet Newbie is such a common term now that it ought to have a 
>: >universally recognized symbol, either .sig sized or perhaps single line, like 
>: >the smilies.  Any ideas?
[snip]
>: >As for Internet Codger, these are the old timers that ...[snip]

Zeus Paleologos responded:
>I believe the proper term is 'oldie' not 'codger,' thank you.

Nothing personal, Zeus.  I've been around awhile and my son has been for 
nearly 10 years!  He is definitely an 'oldie' but is also definitely not a  
'codger."

I'm talking about a different class of 'oldies' that are more 'codgerie',  not 
just experienced, but impatiently jaded.  They tend to hang out on the newbie 
news groups, grumpily answering the same questions, but deriding the newbies 
on an aside.  If they don't like answering newbie questions, then why do they 
answer them?  I have also found them in the very serious news groups, 
expounding statistics, rarely posted FAQs, and other archane (and hard 
to find, harder to validate) trivia as if *everybody* of course knows...  And 
if you don't then why are you even alive?  That's what I mean by 'codger.'  
Just thought it might be fun to see what we could come up with!

Carl Grimes

Carl Grimes (gri...@habitats.com) wrote:

: Zeus Paleologos responded:
: >I believe the proper term is 'oldie' not 'codger,' thank you.

: Nothing personal, Zeus.  I've been around awhile and my son has been for 
: nearly 10 years!  He is definitely an 'oldie' but is also definitely not a  
: 'codger."

: I'm talking about a different class of 'oldies' that are more 'codgerie',  not 
: just experienced, but impatiently jaded.  They tend to hang out on the newbie 
: news groups, grumpily answering the same questions, but deriding the newbies 
: on an aside.  If they don't like answering newbie questions, then why do they 
: answer them?  I have also found them in the very serious news groups, 
: expounding statistics, rarely posted FAQs, and other archane (and hard 
: to find, harder to validate) trivia as if *everybody* of course knows...  And 
: if you don't then why are you even alive?  That's what I mean by 'codger.'  
: Just thought it might be fun to see what we could come up with!

Not to nit-pick, Carl, but the term 'codger' really doesn't seem to be
appropriate here, IMO.

The dictionary describes a 'codger' as an 'old miser.'  OED relates it to
'cadger' who is described as 'one who gets his living by trickery.'  Modern
colloquial usage connotes an 'eccentric old man who is likely more than he 
seems.'

Frankly, these don't seem to fit your description of a Net-know-it-all,
many of whom have achieved their status more by their tenacity than their
tenure.

--
 "Entities shall not be multiplied beyond necessity."  [Occam's Razor]

 rl3...@netcom.com (Zeus Paleologos) writes:
>: >I believe the proper term is 'oldie' not 'codger,' thank you.

Carl Grimes responded:
>: Nothing personal, Zeus.  I've been around awhile and my son has been for 
>: nearly 10 years!  He is definitely an 'oldie' but is also definitely not a  
>: 'codger."
>: I'm talking about a different class of 'oldies' that are more 'codgerie',  not 
>: just experienced, but impatiently jaded. 
[snip]  
>: Just thought it might be fun to see what we could come up with!

>Not to nit-pick, Carl, but the term 'codger' really doesn't seem to be
>appropriate here, IMO.
>The dictionary describes a 'codger' as an 'old miser.'  OED relates it to
>'cadger' who is described as 'one who gets his living by trickery.'  Modern
>colloquial usage connotes an 'eccentric old man who is likely more than he 
>seems.'

Picky, picky.  But you're right about it not fitting the dictionary definition.

>Frankly, these don't seem to fit your description of a Net-know-it-all,

"Net-know-it-all" is a good description for what I'm after.

>many of whom have achieved their status more by their tenacity than their 
>tenure.

And I don't want to demean the tenacious!  Or the accomplished!  My target is 
more the "self- appointed" and self-absorbed ones.   The "KNOW-IT ALLS!"  
We're narrowing in here.  I like the sound of codger and the contrast to 
Newbie, despite its lack of precise definition.  

> "Entities shall not be multiplied beyond necessity."  [Occam's Razor]

The Spartans weren't much fun.

Carl Grimes