Get Ready For the Nerdlympics

jfruhlinger writes "In the upcoming Olympics, competitors will take part in the 'modern' pentathlon, designed in 1912 to simulate the skills a cavalry officer would need when trapped behind enemy lines. ITworld.com has developed a new set of competitions — untangling cables! code obfuscation! — that are a bit more relevant to the modern geek." Don't be too smug, though: Naturalist points out a story indicating that "Exercisers learn faster, remember more, think clearer and bounce back more easily from brain injuries such as a stroke."

Comments

Now thats the shit

[unity100]

thats the kind of shit that i would be interested in watching !! running a straight line ? well i can do that myself, even if i cant do 100 m under 9 seconds. but untangling a mess ? now that is a watch for any time of day !

Re:Now thats the shit

[eugene ts wong]

I don't know if you're trying to be funny or not.

How does anybody verify that 2 messes are equally messy? What if 1 mess is stiffer and harder to untangle, even though it's not as confusing? I think that we've all seen knots that were really tight, but simply knotted.

If this is all just for fun, then it's no big deal.

Re:Now thats the shit

[phoneteller]

I just won the gold.... got a 17/10.

Re:Now thats the shit

[Red Flayer]

How does anybody verify that 2 messes are equally messy?

Simple. Make the messes using identical cables, following the exact same steps. Since it's geeklympics, how about building a robot to uniformly tangle cables? Every mess of cable can be exactly the same (well, to the degree of the manufacturing tolerances of the cables). Program a new mess algorithm for each of the heats, and for the finals.

What if 1 mess is stiffer and harder to untangle

I'm not sure what olypmics you're watching, but I like the way you think.

Re:Now thats the shit

[eugene ts wong]

Alright. I admit it. I'm impressed. I didn't think that anybody would come up with an idea of a machine to tangle something up on purpose.

You have my support.

*But* you still have the problem of getting the guys to sign up. Usually sign-up forms are embedded in articles, aren't they?

Hmm, there's a sport right there: article reading. It would take a tremendous amount of training and dedication to do that.

Re:Now thats the shit

[Chris Burkhardt]

> even if i cant do 100 m under 9 seconds.

Nobody can.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/100_metres#Fastest_100_metres_runners

Re:Now thats the shit

[Killjoy_NL]

Yet ;)

Re:Now thats the shit

[ewrong]

Oh dear, do you realise what you've started?

Asking geeks to work out how to verify that "2 messes are equally messy" in a discussion about the geekolypmics?

Let the unintentional humour begin...

Re:Now thats the shit

[Anonymous Coward]

What if 1 mess is stiffer and harder to untangle

I'm not sure what olypmics you're watching, but I like the way you think.

That sounds like something I might like to experience while watching, but I'm not sure if it's something I'd enjoy watching.

Re:Now thats the shit

[barometz]

"Stronger, Faster, Stiffer"? I'm not sure of what 'lympics that'd be the motto, but I can guess >.>

Re:Now thats the shit

[Nefarious Wheel]

How does anybody verify that 2 messes are equally messy?

Your credentials have been established.

Re:Now thats the shit

[Mike610544]

I would compete in the untangling cables event on the condition that there were no Cat 5 cables involved. Whoever thought it was a good idea to put that damn reverse facing tab on those should be beaten severely.

Re:Now thats the shit

[eugene ts wong]

:^D lol

Thanks! I feel like I just walked into a trap! lol

Anybody remember that movie about a guy who plays an arcade game and does so well at it, that he gets recruited by an alien race? The whole game was just a test. I think that the movie was called, "Starblazer", or some such movie.

Re:Now thats the shit

[Anonymous Coward]

... running a straight line ? ...

And jumping over a 2 matchbox height wall.

Re:Now thats the shit

[Maxime]

I think you're referring to The Last Starfighter

Kudos on the mess equality thing :-D

Re:Now thats the shit

[eugene ts wong]

Yes, that's the movie. Thanks, for clarifying.

lol Thanks for the kudos. :^D It seemed like such a wise thing to say at the time. :^)

A matter of appearance

[Anonymous Coward]

Where there is nothing, a little looks like a lot.

Code obfuscation?

[Anonymous Coward]

I wouldn't think code obfuscation is a useful skill under any circumstances. I'd think it would be always detriment. Rather, a useful skill would be code de-obfuscation.

Re:Code obfuscation?

[Ethanol-fueled]

Perl programmers would have an unfair edge ;)

Re:Code obfuscation?

[Nefarious Wheel]

Perl programmers would have an unfair edge ;)

Disagree. I'd stack a pure K&R C code single-line macro up against the best from CPAN any day.

Re:Code obfuscation?

[try_anything]

Yeah, kids these days have no idea what real C code looks like. C code that looks like C is not industrial-grade C. To know what real, portable, robust production C looks like, copy some textbook C code into a text editor, add a few randomly chosen non-C keywords in front of every struct and function declaration, and then upcase everything except the function names where they are defined and all the variable names. Now imagine everything in uppercase is a macro whose default value is declared in a bunch of nested #ifdefs in a default header file, but whose correct value you must set in your makefile according to the target platform, the compiler, and how you use the code.

THAT is real C code. Larry Wall invented Perl because he knew the ancient ways of Real C Programmers were dying out, and he wanted to preserve a pale reflection of their greatness, like Britney Spears covering Aretha Franklin.

Insultolympics

[CopaceticOpus]

Gee, great, because you know most geeks only love computers and don't have diverse interests.

This is a dumb article written solely for the purpose of generating traffic, and by getting on /. they've succeeded in spades.

Re:Insultolympics

[reset_button]

You're assuming that getting on Slashdot generates traffic for them, but we all know that nobody RTFA.

Re:Insultolympics

[Joe the Lesser]

If getting on /. is 'success' than I must need a new dictionary.

Re:Insultolympics

[CaptainPatent]

Gee, great, because you know most geeks only love computers and don't have diverse interests.

Your statement confuses me. You state a known fact but seem to do it with a sarcastic tone!

Are you saying there's something more to life than dual booting?

Re:Insultolympics

[Ethanol-fueled]

That's because most of us would rather see technological events instead of "X-treme" stamp collecting. Maybe the stakes would be higher if the winner gets to lose his virginity. Who needs a lame medal?

Re:Insultolympics

[4D6963]

Gee, great, because you know most geeks only love computers and don't have diverse interests.

What.. what the hell are you doing? You can't just go around talking about how people are not all just the stereotype attributed to the category they fall into! What's the matter with you? That's more anti-American than eating a snail kebab while reading Oscar Wilde! Of course geeks only care about technology and science fiction, hate sports, get abused by "jocks" and can't get with a girl! Don't you ever watch The Big Bang Theory and such shows? That's how geeks are on TV, and TV *is* to an important extent our perception of reality.

What sort of drivel is to be expected from you next? Are you going to tell us that "jocks" aren't all just a bunch of buffy and cruel idiots with complexes who only enjoy football, locking "geeks" into lockers and dating cheerleaders, bound to become unemployed drunken failures by their 30's?

Re:Insultolympics

[snoyberg]

Triple booting?

Re:Insultolympics

[Red Flayer]

Ah, the Slashdot paradox:

The hordes of Slashdot can bring a webserver to its knees even though no Slashdotter actually views the webpage.

Re:Insultolympics

[gooseupfront]

i think its time to embrace virtualization

Re:Insultolympics

[physicsboy500]

Gee, great, because you know most geeks only love computers and don't have diverse interests.

This is a dumb article written solely for the purpose of generating traffic, and by getting on /. they've succeeded in spades.

Of course us nerds have diverse interests:

a) Computers
b) Watching Computers

I simply do not see what makes the article dumb!

Re:Insultolympics

[Ngarrang]

Triple booting?

I gave up dual booting for a virtualized environment. All of the OSes are running at one time at all times now. It saves time when switching back and forth.

Re:Insultolympics

[Anonymous Coward]

I don't read the articles. I just click the links.

Re:Insultolympics

[Anonymous Coward]

This is a dumb article written solely for the purpose of generating traffic...

The nerve! How dare these commercial online publications print articles for the purpose of drawing traffic to their site in order to generate ad revenue? It's just simply beyond the pale! Somebody should write their Congressman and get a law passed banning this egregious, naked attempt to provide a service in exchange for monetary compensation!

Re:Insultolympics

[Anonymous Coward]

The answer is obvious: There's those on Slashdot who use their eyes, and those who use their mouths. The two don't intersect.

Re:Insultolympics

[bsDaemon]

Perhaps one that can tell you the difference between "then" and "than" might make a good investment.

Re:Insultolympics

[SQLGuru]

Other nerd interests not represented by this article (and a good list for a true decathalon):

1) Star Wars
2) Star Trek
3) Arguing about which is better, 1 or 2
4) Comic books
5) Cosplay
6) Role Playing / LARPing
7) Robotics / Legos / anything from MAKE or 2600
8) Quoting Python/South Park/etc.
9) Anime
10) Computers

You could pick random events from each category every year.....no two decatalons would be the same.

Layne

Re:Insultolympics

[xaxa]

The answer is obvious: There's those on Slashdot who use their eyes, and those who use their mouths. The two don't intersect.

You type with your tongue?

Re:Insultolympics

[CastrTroy]

Real geeks just use multiple computers.

Re:Insultolympics

[deadmantyping]

browser prefetching?

Re:Insultolympics

[maxume]

Until they add real dying, LARPing will remain incredibly stupid.

Re:Insultolympics

[Joe Tie.]

I hate the implication that geeks don't work out. I'm in far better shape than any of the sports nuts I know. We're geeks, we like crunching numbers and living by a set schedule. We excel in the very things that makes it hard for most people to stay in shape.

Re:Insultolympics

[Jimmy_B]

There are two types of Slashdotter: Those who read the article, and those who comment on the story. These groups do not overlap.

Re:Insultolympics

[Missing_dc]

There are two types of Slashdotter: Those who read the article, and those who comment on the story. These groups do not overlap.

The problem is self-perpetuating.

As most of us are in a rush to post something insightful or funny, we don't take the time to wade through 9 pages of ads to RTFA, we just read the summary (sometimes) and post. While TFA can be informative and sometimes worthwhile to read, most of us want to get our posts in early or high on the page so they will be read and responded to. Its a form of validation. Now shut up and give me a virtual hug, damn it!

Re:Insultolympics

[AP31R0N]

If there was something called the Cheflympics and it was a series of cooking contests would that be insulting? Are the x games insulting to skateboarders? You know, i bet Tony Hawk has other interests besides catching wicked air. So?

Sure geeks and nerds are a diverse lot, like ANY OTHER GROUP YOU COULD NAME. But this isn't about what makes them different, but rather about what they have in common (and poking a little fun at it).

A website trying to get traffic and generate revenue through their sponsors? That unpossible! Imagine if other sites start doing this. What would happen if Fark starting linking to controversial articles to generate hits? Next thing you know, /. will start posting links to things that nerds find interesting in the cynical hope to get more members, donors and sponsors! Playboy will have pictures of young, heavy breasted women to entice lonely males to buy a magazine full of ads....

Is today "Take Things Too Seriously Day"?

Re:Insultolympics

[comp.sci]

I, for one, like turtles!

Re:Insultolympics

[deraj123]

With synergy.

Re:Insultolympics

[Oktober Sunset]

that's cos everyone opens the article in a background tab, then starts looking at a couple of comments while it's loading, but by the time they've finished reading 50 screens full of trolling, bitching and offtopic arguements, they don't have time to read the article and close the tab without reading it.

Re:Insultolympics

[OneMadMuppet]

Stupid AVG plugin.

Re:Insultolympics

[caluml]

As most of us are in a rush to post something insightful or funny, we don't take the time to wade through 9 pages of ads to RTFA, we just read the summary (sometimes) and post.

Perhaps there should be no commenting for 5/10/15/20/30 minutes after a story is posted. That would mean people "might as well" RTFA, and I think we'd get more comments, that were longer, better thought out, and more insightful/interesting.

Re:Insultolympics

[Red Flayer]

we like crunching numbers and living by a set schedule. We excel in the very things that makes it hard for most people to stay in shape.

Personally, I think crunching celery would be more useful for staying in shape than curnching doritos (which seems to be as common as number-crunching among geeks, if the sterotype holds any truth).

Living by a set schedule? Not for most geeks I know... if you give a true geek some problem that interests them, they'll stay up all night trying to figure it out. As for IT geeks... well... most of the ones I know have no hope of maintaining a set schedule, since their work demands othwerise. YMMV

I think we may have a different idea of what a geek is.

That said, I know plenty of geeks in good shape, and plenty of geeks in poor shape. Maybe it's the circles I run in, but the non-geeks I know are, on average, in better shape than the geeks.

Re:Insultolympics

[CopaceticOpus]

The emphasis is on the word dumb. I have no problem at all with a compelling, insightful, or genuinely funny article written to draw traffic. However, this article is none of those things. When junk like this gets published on slashdot, it will only inspire thousands more shoddy imitators. It's becoming rather tiresome.

Re:Insultolympics

[Nathanbp]

Until they add real dying, LARPing will remain incredibly stupid.

Yet somehow D&D or computer RPGs are fine without real dying?

Re:Insultolympics

[Celarnor]

Perhaps there should be no commenting for 5/10/15/20/30 minutes after a story is posted. That would mean people "might as well" RTFA, and I think we'd get more comments, that were longer, better thought out, and more insightful/interesting.

Your ideas intrigue me, and I would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

Re:Insultolympics

[Mistshadow2k4]

You type with your tongue?

And if so, what are you doing Saturday night?

Re:Insultolympics

[holmedog]

Not if you have the old AVG installed...

Re:Insultolympics

[jahudabudy]

3) Arguing about which is better, 1 or 2

I have to admit I spent an embarrassing amount of time trying figure our why nerds would argue over which integer is better. Then I reread the list...

p.s. I'm torn between pride and shame that I managed to generate theoretical arguments in support of either side of the imaginary 1 vs. 2 debate

Re:Insultolympics

[downhole]

That might work, if we ever got articles that we could make long, well thought out, and insightful comments about.

Re:Insultolympics

[Anonymous Coward]

The answer is obvious: There's those on Slashdot who use their eyes, and those who use their mouths. The two don't intersect.

You type with your tongue?

No, I type with my eyes.

Re:Insultolympics

[maxume]

They are merely stupid.

If death isn't on the line, a game shouldn't need a costume. Also, pretending to be a ninja is certainly dumber than learning something about actually being a ninja (or whatever else it is you are pretending to be...).

Re:Insultolympics

[Killjoy_NL]

"TV *is* to an important extent our perception of reality."

You got a funny but also deserved an insightful :)

Re:Insultolympics

[Red Flayer]

Or, we could just have community-based moderation that helps weed out comments that are not amusing, interesting, insightful, or informative. Why hasn't anyone thought of that?

As for longer comments... well... in general, they leave a bad taste in my mouth. Usually whatever takes 10,000 characters to say can be said just as well in 1000. If I wanted to read a long informative essay, there are better places than slashdot comments, and I prefer it that way. YMMV

Re:Insultolympics

[Anonymous Coward]

waht?

Re:Insultolympics

[Anonymous Coward]

The answer is obvious: There's those on Slashdot who use their eyes, and those who use their mouths. The two don't intersect.

You type with your tongue?

No, I type with my eyes.

I guess that means you read with your mouth. Now if I can direct you to the new tattoo I got on my ass, perhaps you can tell me what is says?

Re:Insultolympics

[steelfood]

No, those are the ones who actually have a significant other.

Re:Insultolympics

[The Great Pretender]

I would imagine that the Slashdot irony is that the Slashdotter clicks on the link to see if it has been Slashdotted, not necessarily to view the web page, and in the process helps affect the crushing blow to the web server.

Re:Insultolympics

[Anonymous Coward]

...and I think we'd get more comments, that were longer, better thought out, and more insightful/interesting.

Your ideas intrigue me, and I would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

FAIL

Re:Insultolympics

[houghi]

And also wait for 5/10/15/20/30 postings and randomize them, so there won't be any F!rst P0st

Re:Insultolympics

[Anonymous Coward]

EPIC FAIL

FTFY.

Re:Insultolympics

[pxc]

Actually I like crunching Fritos and living by the keyboard.

Re:Insultolympics

[luke923]

Perhaps, someone can invent some sort of lasertag-type system w/ lightsabers or something...

Re:Insultolympics

[luke923]

That reminds me... They should add insult tennis as a possible competitive event. I happened to witness this a couple of years ago, ironically, at a Renaissance festival -- a place other than a comicon or Star Trek convention where you'll find a large gathering of nerds.

Re:Insultolympics

[Anonymous Coward]

"snail kebab in cauliflower sauce and risotto with cabbage pesto" has put me off Pisa forever.

Re:Insultolympics

[squidfood]

That reminds me... They should add insult tennis as a possible competitive event.

Wouldn't you prefer a game of Questions?

Re:Insultolympics

[ais523]

It would also mean you'd get about 100 comments at once when the timeout ended, all saying "first post!"; at the moment that's less of a problem due to the need to actually come across the article at the right time.

Re:Insultolympics

[treeves]

Sorry, but I'll be busy cleaning the bathroom.

Re:Insultolympics

[Anonymous Coward]

The answer is obvious: There's those on Slashdot who use their eyes, and those who use their mouths. The two don't intersect.

You type with your tongue?

I'm quadriplegic, you insensitive clod!

Re:Insultolympics

[4D6963]

"snail kebab in cauliflower sauce and risotto with cabbage pesto" has put me off Pisa forever.

Oh dear... what were the odds that someone could be mad enough to do such a thing..

Re:Insultolympics

[nonewmsgs]

Other nerd interests not represented by this article (and a good list for a true decathalon):

1) Star Wars 2) Star Trek 3) Arguing about which is better, 1 or 2 4) Comic books 5) Cosplay 6) Role Playing / LARPing 7) Robotics / Legos / anything from MAKE or 2600 8) Quoting Python/South Park/etc. 9) Anime 10) Computers

You could pick random events from each category every year.....no two decatalons would be the same.

Layne

i love girls' soccer especially around highschool/college level. they are 10x as brutal as the men but act like they have no idea what happend when they get yellow carded. i have seen untangling of wires and it is no girls' soccer.

Re:Insultolympics

[thedrx]

Crushing blow, hehe.

Re:Insultolympics

[try_anything]

I don't think any nerds interested in losing their virginity would subject themselves to the indignity of the Nerdlympics. Instead, they would compete in the Apple "Relevant Hipster Creators of Tomorrow's Pop Culture"-lympics, which consist of blogging, tweeting, and moodily tossing one's floppy hair out of one's eyes.

Re:Insultolympics

[daybot]

Perhaps there should be no commenting for 5/10/15/20/30 minutes after a story is posted.

As a subscriber I get pretty much exactly that.

That would mean people "might as well" RTFA, and I think we'd get more comments, that were longer, better thought out, and more insightful/interesting.

Nope - it doesn't make any difference to my reading or commenting habits.

Re:Insultolympics

[Anonymous Coward]

It's all those /.ers running AVG...

Re:Insultolympics

[Anonymous Coward]

8) Quoting Python/South Park/etc.

(sigh)

Re:Insultolympics

[jonaskoelker]

no two decatalons would be the same.

So what you're trying to say is that in ten years, the nerd decathlon will be able to say "I'm not dead yet"?

Re:Insultolympics

[Rub1cnt]

For those interested, if the nerdlympics actually takes off, I'm recruiting a bunch of pissed off Windows admins to go after the creator of the Nimda virus and declaring it an anything goes match. Think Thunderdome with a mob of geeks with various implements of pain, destruction, firepower and the mandate to mangle or at least maim severely....

Re:Insultolympics

[Rub1cnt]

SQLGuru: I'd like to incite a war. Star Trek rules, Lucas can't direct. Borg vs Empire...I rest my case. :)

Re:Insultolympics

[Rub1cnt]

How about a nice game of Global Thermonuclear War? :)

is it just me...

[CaptainNerdCave]

or does there seem to be a pretty aggressive push to make "nerd" and "geek" into "cool"?

in a land where ignorance and laziness are applauded (nascar, etc), is this an attempt to make learning and knowledge "popular"?

Re:is it just me...

[Otter]

in a land where ignorance and laziness are applauded (nascar, etc)...

Can't you F1 dweebs ever give it a rest? (Incidentally, working with network cables is something a chimp can be taught to do. It's hardly "learning and knowledge".)

Re:is it just me...

[DerekLyons]

in a land where ignorance and laziness are applauded (nascar, etc), is this an attempt to make learning and knowledge "popular"?

Someone who doesn't bother to properly capitalize and seemingly prefers bias and stereotyping himself... shouldn't complain about ignorance and laziness being applauded.

Re:is it just me...

[Otter]

As I posted that, I realized it's obviously wrong: if you have to teach the chimp, I suppose it is in fact "learning and knowledge".

Re:is it just me...

[mh1997]

I got into NASCAR because of the engineering and technology, I stayed for the chicks - that went home with other guys.

Re:is it just me...

[Neil Watson]

A NASCAR driver, or any race car driver, is a combination of an engineer, and an athlete. Hardly ignorant or lazy.

Re:is it just me...

[Anonymous Coward]

in a land where ignorance and laziness are applauded (nascar, etc)...

Can't you F1 dweebs ever give it a rest? (Incidentally, working with network cables is something a chimp can be taught to do. It's hardly "learning and knowledge".)

And driving in a circle 300 times involves a steep learning curve? Not that I'd want to see cables being untangled...but a cubicle maze race ala MXC would be fun.

Re:is it just me...

[Anonymous Coward]

It will never be popular. Those with knowledge will always be viewed suspiciously by those without. Cynics would say that those in power (not necessarily those with knowledge) prefer to keep the populace ignorant because ignorance favors the status quo. So don't fund schools, prevent the media from reporting, prevent information from being distributed -- these help those in power to remain in power.

I'm personally sick of movies that portray scientists/technologists as evil or somehow bad for humanity. It's not just recently. Faust was a bad guy. Kirk's emotions triumph over Spock's rationality. There are twenty mad scientists for every one that develops a new medicine.. (but it seems every new medicine turns people into zombies).

Re:is it just me...

[Anonymous Coward]

no, that's the slack-jawed spectators.

Re:is it just me...

[Mistshadow2k4]

And driving in a circle 300 times involves a steep learning curve?

Doing so at extremely high speeds in a car built with only speed in mind is a bit more difficult than you seem to think. If you don't believe me, try it.

Re:is it just me...

[Killjoy_NL]

Me and a friend drove to germany last year to pick up my gf at the Frankfurt airport.
When we went back it was dark and snowing, etc.
The germans (mostly nice people) drove like madmen (in my opinion), courteous but damn fast.
I'd rather not risk my hide on their roads again.

Re:is it just me...

[steelfood]

Yep, they have to train to hold it in for the longest time possible, and know what to do when the dam breaks.

Re:is it just me...

[CaptainNerdCave]

sorry, i should have been a bit more specific; i was referring to the majority of people who watch it.

Re:is it just me...

[CaptainNerdCave]

at the very least, if you are going to be criticizing my messages, be clear in your language and use punctuation correctly.

am i stereotyping myself, or do i seem to prefer stereotypes and bias to critical thinking and analysis?

Re:is it just me...

[oldhack]

is it just me or does there seem to be a pretty aggressive push to make "nerd" and "geek" into "cool"?

in a land where ignorance and laziness are applauded (nascar, etc), is this an attempt to make learning and knowledge "popular"?

What are you, some kinda closet French?

Re:is it just me...

[Anonymous Coward]

Why should the poster above you worry about using punctuation correctly when you can't seem to stop using excess commas?

Re:is it just me...

[carlzum]

NASCAR bores me to death, but nerds play a greater role in the competition than in any other "sports." The driver is like a jockey in horse racing, engineers are the breeders and trainers.

Re:is it just me...

[Anonymous Coward]

>be clear in your language and use punctuation correctly.

That, apparently, doesn't extend to capitalization.

Need more evidence

[sakdoctor]

I demand more evidence before I start exercising. I keep reading about all the positive benefits for the brain, but from observation of jocks, what I actually see is negative correlation.

Re:Need more evidence

[icegreentea]

Then don't observe 'jocks'. Observe athletic people, or at least try to find some smart people who exercise. Jocks and 'athletic' are not the same. In any case, if improving your brain is the only reason you would exercise, you probably wouldn't enjoy it that much anyways.

Re:Need more evidence

[snoyberg]

whoosh

Re:Need more evidence

[MarkvW]

Avoiding exercise will reduce your lifespan and will reduce the social and economic cost of maintaining an old nerd's life.

If you think that is a win-win situation, go for it! Er . . ., I mean don't go for it. Be sedentary!

Re:Need more evidence

[BlueCollarCamel]

Trauma to the skull can negate any benefit exercising has.

Re:Need more evidence

[Godji]

In any case, if improving your brain is the only reason you would exercise, you probably wouldn't enjoy it that much anyways.

Actually, exercising gives the geek brain one thing it needs - time during which the brain does not have to be divided between n tasks. This time can be used to give the geek brain some rest, or to pay undivided attention to something useful - such as a podcast or an audiobook. Either, I think, can be considered "improving your brain".

Re:Need more evidence

[SCHecklerX]

Easy:

Jocks play games with balls (baseball, football, tennis, golf, etc)
Athletes play sports. (cycling, running, swimming, snowboarding, skiing, skydiving, etc)

In any given group, I'd say the latter has more intelligent people participating.

My George Carlin-esque definition is that if you use a ball, it's a game, not a sport.

Flame on :-)

"think clearer"?

[jdgeorge]

"Exercisers learn faster, remember more, think clearer and bounce back more easily from brain injuries such as a stroke."

Hmmm.... Think "more clearly", perhaps?

I must infer that the author is a non-exerciser.

Re:"think clearer"?

[courteaudotbiz]

I must infer that the author is a non-exerciser.

No, from TFA, he must be just pushing iron...

Re:"think clearer"?

[eugene ts wong]

Hi. :^)

definition: clearer

Hmmm.... Think "clearer", perhaps?

I must infer that you are dictionary-non-user. ;^P

Re:"think clearer"?

[berashith]

what about "learn more fastly"?

Re:"think clearer"?

[Anonymous Coward]

Nevertheless, people generally don't say "think clearer", since "think more clearly" sounds more correct and flows better.

Other events

[Enderandrew]

Obfuscating how you're slacking off
Convincing suits that you really need that Alienware
Switching people to Linux without them realizing it

Re:Other events

[JoeCommodore]

Some I thought of right off hand

- Data Conversion
- Data Normalization
- Equipment setup from a set of boxes - computer, monitor, printer a full set-up and configured system
- Switch rack untangle/rewire
- Deploy a network (you get a router, switch and an bunch of computers/printers and unconnected wires. (netwalk in real life)
- Create a spreadsheet (from handwritten copy)- I've had to do this a lot.
- Move a system or a network to another location (includes packing up and setup, could be part of a tech-biathlon or pentathlon.
- Phone Support

(all of these can have marks for speed presentation, faults and innovation)

Re:Other events

[felipekk]

You forgot the Windows Vista Patience event...

Re:Other events

[Zwicky]

- Deploy a network (you get a router, switch and an bunch of computers/printers and unconnected wires. (netwalk in real life)
- Move a system or a network to another location (includes packing up and setup, could be part of a tech-biathlon or pentathlon.

- Checking parentheses and fixing unmatched ones correctly. (Preferably in Lisp code). ;)

Rube Goldberg Code?

[Dripdry]

I may now be a nerd "once removed" due to my current occupation, but I'd be pretty interested in the Rube Goldberg Code event they've got here. Sounds like it could be elegant and fun in an infuriating way.

Re:Rube Goldberg Code?

[D Ninja]

I may now be a nerd "once removed" due to my current occupation

Slashdotters! We have a manager in our midst! Attack!

Re:Rube Goldberg Code?

[Dripdry]

I prefer the term "Workplace Efficiency Monitor" thank you very much.

"insensitive clod" was unavailable at the time of this post.

Re:Rube Goldberg Code?

[Anonymous Coward]

We prefer the term "clueless drone" thank you very much.

Excercisers?

[Anonymous Coward]

That sounds like a load of rubbish. I'm just as quick as a 700lb antelope. I mean, just this morning, I was doing something... and then it was done. And yeah, stuff. Who am I? What am I doing here?

Re:Excercisers?

[Quartz25]

I am a 700-pound antelope, you insensitive clod!

New Competitions

[Quartz25]

ITworld.com has developed a new set of competitions â" untangling cables! writing Perl!

There. Fixed it for you.

Re:New Competitions

[$RANDOMLUSER]

untangling Perl! writing cables!

There. Fixed it for you.

Re:New Competitions

[Anonymous Coward]

untangling Perl! writing Python!

There. Fixed it for you.

Re:New Competitions

[Anonymous Coward]

untangling Perl!

You want them to do the impossible?

This sucks.

[thedonger]

I take exception to this whole idea. First, it is the "geeklympics." Nerds are in labs, not IT departments. Second, sitting through meetings isn't geeky or nerdy, it is an administrator-type activity.

Anyway, I'm getting ready for the Pimplympics. I specialize in the pentath-ho-lon.

Re:This sucks.

[Anonymous Coward]

Even in IT you discrimine nerds?.

Re:This sucks.

[lilomar]

Not discriminate, but categorize, yes.

Re:This sucks.

[couchslug]

"Anyway, I'm getting ready for the Pimplympics."

Popping zits for distance?

Re:This sucks.

[Zwicky]

Ah the sudden twist. Well done, Sir. I was sure it was going to be something else.

That is unless 'popping zits' is a euphemism for doing away with competitors infringing on your patch.

Scoring?

[halcyon1234]

Interesting games, but what about their scoring? Are they going to follow suite with the Olympics, and exclude the ability to score a perfect 1010?

untangling cables!

[Amisinthe]

That's amateur stuff. Let me know when they move on to Christmas lights.

Bonus points if you have to find and replace the bad bulb.

Re:untangling cables!

[Anonymous Coward]

All the lights are on except that one. Replace bulb. Done. What kinda cheap stuff are you still using?

Re:untangling cables!

[Gat0r30y]

Christmas lights.

Fry - Tangled up Christmas Lights!
Bender - And unlabeled booze!
Leela - that ought to keep those idiots busy for a while

Re:untangling cables!

[arstchnca]

Series circuit kinda cheap stuff, obviously.

looking for a nice kit to soldier together?

[FudRucker]

http://www.mfjenterprises.com/Product.php?productid=MFJ-8100K

Nerdlympics you say?

[brunokummel]

I would say Computerlympics at most...
Even though I'm a computer graduate, I feel kind of bad for all the geeks from the other areas that got neglected by this so called nerdlympics ...
What about the math geeks? physics majors? chemistry? grammar-nazis? biology? star trek?

Re:Nerdlympics you say?

[krgallagher]

"I feel kind of bad for all the geeks from the other areas that got neglected by this so called nerdlympics ... "

It says nerdlympics not geeklympics. Please do not lump me in with a bunch of nerds.

Re:Nerdlympics you say?

[freemywrld]

Looks like you wandered over to the wrong site - this is 'News for NERDS, stuff that matters' but over on \. they've got 'News for GEEKS, stuff that splatters." See ya there!

Print Version

[Anonymous Coward]

http://www.itworld.com/print/54088

posting ac to avoid Karma Whoring

Pointless

[kenp2002]

It is a telling sign of the time when a people elevate the useless trapping of sedentary life in an attempt at parity with the advancement and conditioning of the human body to a state of near perfection.

Have we lost the passion for self improvement somewhere in the fields of snack food and talk shows?

"To all things I see bent knees to man's greatness as man discards the human gifts and flaws for the cold comfort of a life spent as a machine..."

Re:Pointless

[Anonymous Coward]

Nice variety in word-selection, but the post doesn't scan. There is something odd about the rythm of your sentences. Though that may be an illusory effect caused by the conceptual shifts the reader must repeatedly make, given that many of your words are being used in a less-than-common semantical context.

Exercise? Bah.

[192939495969798999]

I've had 8 strokes, and I haven't potato any of my mental sharpness.

Re:Exercise? Bah.

[steelfood]

You stroked 8 times, and you're already limp?

Great!

[Anarchitektur]

I'll start practicing for the Laptop Discus Throw event with this damn Vista laptop...

Re:Great!

[Rub1cnt]

I've got a bunch of managers that will be right there with you. I've heard XP laptops fly farther than fully loaded vista ones. :) ooh...new idea for an event...Hard drive skeet shooting. Or better yet, Emachine skeet shooting!

Mens sana in corpore sano

[pha7boy]

The Spartans were doing it 2200 years ago. And, honestly, so should we.

correlation!causation

[Anonymous Coward]

I demand more evidence

You sure won't find it in those links. No control-group study mention at all. You can as easily say "People who learn faster, remember more, and think clearer, exercise." Or 'the Moon is Cheese', given what's actually said about exercise.

The Yahoo "story"
http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20080806/sc_livescience/howyourinnerathletemakesyousmarter

links to the "original story", that it repeats
http://www.livescience.com/health/080806-brain-exercise.html

which links to "a review of studies"
http://www.livescience.com/health/080709-food-brain.html

that only talk about nutrition in any factual way.

Dammit timothy, Get off /your/ lazy ass.

Hacks

[JCSoRocks]

People think doping in the real olympics is bad... Just wait until they see hacks during the nerdlympics! Speed hacks, aim bots, wall hacks... It'll be awful.

On your mark...

[Spy der Mann]

Speed hacks, aim bots, wall hacks... It'll be awful.

Oh no, that would be a walk in the park compared to this.

*drum rolls*

On your mark...

set...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

LEEEROY JEEEENKINS!!!

IOC picky about using word Olympics

[peter303]

Sometimes they allow a competition to use it and sometimes they dont. The "gat Olympics" had to change its name to the "Gay Games".

In addition to thinking clearer...

[Anonymous Coward]

...perhaps exercisers also think more clearly?

I do think clear sports drinks generally taste better than the old-school neon-colored ones, so maybe that's the message.

hah ! you think thats a problem ?

[unity100]

*But* you still have the problem of getting the guys to sign up. Usually sign-up forms are embedded in articles, aren't they?

just find 1-2 hot geek girls and announce their participation beforehand. you'll get hordes of longhairs signing up that you wont know what to do with them all.

and

[unity100]

when someone runs it, we will say 'hey someone ran 100 m under 9 seconds'. and that will be it. thats what im talking about.

What you say?

[Anonymous Coward]

> I've had 8 strokes, and I haven't potato any of my mental sharpness.

Sen. McCain, what are you doing here? You're needed on the campaign trail!

if we can call bullshit on non free software...

[Anonymous Coward]

.. Then we can call bullshit on a non free Olympics.

Free Tibet. China out of the WTO, let alone a free amateur competition amongst equals. Who wites

Circular Logic

[PaganRitual]

"Exercisers learn faster, remember more, think clearer and bounce back more easily from brain injuries such as a stroke."

Strokes caused by doing stuff like exercising too much.

Ho Ho Ho! Try untangling THESE!

[Anonymous Coward]

While nerds in momma's basement are untangling cables, as part of THEIR competition,
Chinese folk are trying their best to untangle THESE!

Golly! Don't you wish you could be there? LOL!
No matter. They will be here soon enough!
.
.
.. ... .. - From vegetarian Pinoqachole comes enlightenment.

They forgot the REALLY TOUGH event

[belmolis]

They forgot the REALLY TOUGH even: documentation.

Nice.

[arstchnca]

Stay classy.

Anyone can

[KlaymenDK]

Just not on foot ...

Performance Enhancers

[Big_Daddy_K]

Think people would get banned for performance enhancers such as RedBull or Bawls?

Re:Ho Ho Ho! Yo momma?

[Anonymous Coward]

Disgusting!

What are those? Organic fiber-optic pancakes?
You should be ashamed!
Get off of slashdot, you Buddhist poseur!

-5 cowardice

[CaptainNerdCave]

there is truly nothing more cowardly than having an argument over the internet without even using a handle. grow a spine or shut up.

-5 cowardice

[CaptainNerdCave]

i'm being accosted by someone to afraid to identify himself? grow a spine or shut up.