The GeekHiker

I’ve mentioned before my history with computers.  It’s certainly nothing illustrious.  It’s not like I was around to help kick off the Arpanet or anything, but I did start at a fairly young age, as these things go.

In some ways though, I’m a bit of a technological Luddite.  Sure, I work with them all day, even make a living off of them, but I’m not obsessed with computers.  I don’t own a blackberry.  My cell phone isn’t bluetooth enabled.  Unlike the other system admins that I talk to, my life isn’t surrounded by computers and technology.

I mean, hell, I’d rather be out hiking.

As it turns out, though, I’m not alone.  Follow the link to read the article in full detail, but the basic gist of it is this: the Pew Internet & American Life Project came up with a list of categories regarding internet/communication use, from tech-obsessed nerds to those without cell phones or computer access.  Somewhere in these 10 categories each of us fit (well, as closely as any of us can fit into a mere 10 categories).

Myself, I think I land squarely in the “Lackluster Veterans” category (though I’m not keen on the use of the word “lackluster”), with perhaps a dash of “connected but hassled” thrown in for flavor.  “Lackluster Veterans” is a surprisingly good percentage of the population, as is “connected but hassled”, so at least I know I’m not alone.  I use computers to make a living, but they don’t particularly excite me anymore.  At work, I no longer thirst for the challenge of a problem to solve; I just want the damn thing to work so people will stop yelling at me.

Actually, that may have more to do with my particular office culture, but I digress.

What I’d really like to know is how many of my fellow computer career folk fall into the same category, rather than just the general population that the Pew Project studied.  Are there other’s out there like me: a little burnt but, hey, it’s a good living so keep plugging away at it?  Or am I doomed to spend my life surrounded by 20-something kids who can’t wait to shove their latest credit card debt computer gadget under my nose?

I suppose I’ll be over here with the veterans, yelling at the kids to get off my internet lawn, thank you very much.

This is one of those rare posts on which I would really like those of you who stop by occasionally to comment: where on the list do you find yourself?