Slashdot Mirror
Christmas Gifts for Geeks
scottfi writes "The shopping season is just about over and I'm always on the lookout for the cool geek gadget to get friends and family (or myself). What cool items are on your list this year or you have wrapped up for others? There are a ton of gift guides online, but I always like to see what the slashdot crowd would like under their tree." I recommend the Harmony Remote, an iPod, and of course a Slashdot Subscription ;)
Give me a job for Christmas. After that, I can take care of my own toys.
I think an iPod (or similar) is a bad geek gift, since most geeks probably have their eyes on these devices already, and have strong opinions on what they'd like.
An iPod is also too expensive a gift in most cases, and since you'll probably end up with the cheapest 15GB one, you'll feel shitty if you go out and buy a decent 40GB one a few months later, selling the gift on eBay or something.
I say geek gifts shouldn't necessarily be geek-exclusive gifts. Independent music in a genre the person likes.. movies they've shown an interest in.. box sets of the TV series they like. These things are smaller, more likely to open their eyes, and more likely to be remembered than a gift that could be obsolete within the year (because geeks upgrade often, as we know).
Or, even better, something off of their Amazon/whatever-store-isn't-evil-today giftlist.. that way you KNOw they'll like it! And, even better, you'll know someone else didn't buy it for them!
mogorific carpentry experiments
uh. . . a good book?
--It's a special device that requires no memory cards, no special power cells, and can be used with simple sunlight.
But then that might be pushing too far for today's geek:)
(Say something in an Umberto Eco)
-[joke removed for your safety]-
I sent my holiday spending money to the USO, who will buy gifts for people that need it more than me.
Phone cards, and online time are the two big items for them this year
Because the iPod is a masterpiece of design. I have one and must say it's worth every penny. Just use one for a little while and you'll know why everyone is going crazy for 'em.
--- witty signature
I'd rather a mp3CD player for $50, ten CD-Rs, and the extra $349 in cash, please.
Who modded the parent Insightful? I picked up a /. sub for the same reason I tip the waiter/waitress when I go out to dinner. Sure, I could pick up my own food, refill my own glass, and bus my own table, but I'd rather spend my time enjoying my food and chatting with people, so here's a few bucks for your trouble, kid. I have no qualms about paying for a service, nor do I feel so entitled that I demand things that my subscription couldn't pay for.
/. for Christmas. :D
On the other hand, a subscription as a gift seems patently asinine to me. I can't think of any of my friends who wouldn't sock me in the face for getting them a lame gift like ad-free
Auto-reply to ACs: "Truly, you have a dizzying intellect."
And masterpiece of design? Besides the aesthetics of the material used, the interface could use a little work. For example, how do you get the backlight to turn on? I fiddled with my friends iPod for about two minutes trying to find a button to do that, and after running out of buttons trying to read the menus in near darkness before he told me to hold down one of the buttons (don't remember which) for a couple seconds. Oh, obviously... I should have guessed that.
If not now, when?
Used to carry mine everywhere too, and then they started taking any tool away from you when you traveled on a plane - now, I have beg and borrow when on the road. Cna't count how many little screw drivers I have had to give up at the airport.
Home Automation & Linux -- now I know I'm a geek
"ipod? ogg? bah! what you really want is a good turntable!"
Speaking of good turntables, for those who are not wanna be DJs and just want to listen to music, try the
Linn LP12
or the more afordable but still enjoyable Rega Planar line
To complete the gift for your geek make sure you include a small gift certificate to your local used record store
Also set aside an entire weekend of free time for him/her because that's what a music lover will need when faced with the staggering vinyl selection at Amoeba. Best of all, Vinyl can often cost a few pennies to a few dollers, far cheaper than CDs. And guess what, NO DRM!!! and NO extra money going to the RIAA (Assuming you are buying USED)
What geek wouldn't want to flip off the recording industry while enjoying a geeky vintage medium like Vinyl.
Vinyl does not sound better then CD, and many prfer the warm analog sound of vinyl to the harsh processed tinny sound of CD, but don't try to argue which is better, they are just different. Everyone has their favorites.
I made a lot of money in 2003. I used it to buy just about anything I wanted and had time/space for; the same holds true for material desires down the road. Christmas drives me nuts, because it means that my friends and family will be wasting money buying me more stuff that will likely end up in a closet or at the salvation army. My only really memorable gift from xmas 2002 was a Barnes&Noble gift card, and I still haven't had time to read the damned books I bought with it!
So how about everyone just does me a favor and gives the money away? Following are my favourite charities:
The Electronic Frontier Foundation
The Human Rights Campaign
The Sierra Club
Amnesty International
Greenpeace
I'm sure, in fact I know, that I have left a lot of worth organizations out. But seriously, my christmas wish is that people would stop wasting money buying cheap asian trinkets and spend it on something useful. Christmas doesn't have to be a load of crap. Make it worthwhile.
Unless, of course, you want to get me gift certificates at the Apple store.
I figure I'll get an 'early start' and do it this week. 2-3 hours...BAM swoop in, get everyone's gifts...and out.
It isn't that hard...
Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
I have a Leatherman Micra
I had a micra on my keychain until those bastards at airport security took it away from me and put it in their big ``confiscated terrorist tools'' box. I wasn't even flying, just dropping someone off. They could've held it for a couple of minutes like they did when they took my phone...but no, I had to either have them throw it away or have someone miss a flight.
I used to always fly with my wave, and I felt pretty damned good about it. Nowadays, you have to be really careful where you take such a terrifying weapon, which greatly reduces its usability.
But hey, we all feel safer, right?
-- The world is watching America, and America is watching TV.
Fuck that. Tipping should be based on service. That's the whole point.
I "start" at 15%. If they do well, I mentally increase it. If they don't, I mentally decrease it. At the end of the meal, I use whatever I'm at. 15% is for *average* service, not for *poor* service.
Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum sonatur.
I still feel I shouldn't need to be familiar with the manual to access such a simple feature, despite what my friend may or may not have done to the default settings.
Right. You should always be able to use any device in the dark even when you've never used it before and even if someone has changed the default settings. Sure. Even if there was a button labeled 'backlight' you wouldn't have been able to see it!