Cool Computer Geeks' Websites

Geek culture was once derided and ridiculed. At least at my school. Either way, geeks were the people to know as computers and the Internet entered our lives in a big way. They were considered cool in fact. These geeks are increasingly hanging out on the Internet, and there is no shortage of places for them to do so.

Geek culture was once ridiculed and reviled. Maybe just at my school. In any case, as computers became more mainstream, and then the Internet entered our lives in a big way, geeks became popular. The term "geek" even became a verb.

There are now a variety of places for geeks to hang out on the Internet, and the number of them is growing. You can use these online resources to learn about technology in both a broad sense and in a more narrow, specialized sense. Listed below are 10 websites populated by computer geeks, who either provide the content, offer opinions, or answer tech-related questions only the geekiest will know the answer.

Techmeme

If you want to know what technology news is trending at any given moment, Techmeme is your best bet. It is possible to find stories breaking faster elsewhere, but who of us has time to read endless RSS feeds and scour hundreds of sites?

Techmeme provides an overview of what geeks are talking about on news sites, blogs, and Twitter. You will be taken to other sites where the coolest geeks keep tabs on different parts of the tech sector so you and I don't have to.

Slashdot

If you've had it with all the stories that everyone and their dog is discussing, Slashdot is the place to go. The site contains a wide variety of stories about science and technology, as well as topics that escape mainstream coverage.

Slashdot offers an alternative view to Techmeme's mainstream view. Unlike Techmeme, Slashdot provides the opportunity for a healthy debate over each cited article. Only true geeks should apply.

Hacker News

Hacker News is another site that provides a snapshot of what the tech community is talking about at any given moment. In a similar fashion to Slashdot, the stories promoted are unlikely to be mainstream. Instead, opinion posts and in-depth discussions on niche interests are the norm.

Hacking articles also appear regularly, as the name suggests. Y Combinator, the company behind the site, also publishes articles related to the startup scene. Hacker News is the place to be if you're interested in finding out what the next big thing is.

It's no exaggeration to call Reddit the 'Front Page of the Internet'. In its early years, Digg was a niche competitor to the site, but today it is one of the world's biggest websites. We're open to every topic under the sun, but we're only interested in the technical side.

It is full of stories about all aspects of technology on the /r/Technology subreddit. You can bump into some of the geekiest geeks on the Interwebs by exploring subreddits like /r/Computing and /r/Programming.

Digg

The final social news site on the list is Digg. Even though it isn't the eclectic place it once was (see Reddit above), it is still a good place to start for geeks of all kinds. We are interested in the Technology section, since there are multiple categories.

Digg Technology organizes stories by Most Recent, Trending, and Top. Videos, images, and texts can also be sorted. Engage in lively discussions or upvote stories. A Technology Newsroom is also available.

Quora

Quora is an addictive website that won't let you go. Qu or A is the very essence of the site's name. You can either ask a question or answer one. It's also okay to simply read what everyone else has to say.

Even though there are questions on a wide variety of subjects, there is a Technology board, and lots of other boards about technology. Quora offers the benefit of having someone who is actually involved in the subject matter answer your question. There is a lot of expertise available there. Our own MakeUseOf Answers have them, but we'll talk about that later.

PC Advisor

A British site, PC Advisor, contains news and reviews, which are interesting but can be found elsewhere on the Internet. The site's How-To, Forum, and Advisors sections, all dedicated to different aspects of technology and computing, are its real strengths.

For those in need, there is a Helproom, as well as a section for Absolute Beginners. All of us were n00bs once, and we all needed some guidance from those who knew more than we did. There are tons of geeks who are willing to help out their fellow man (or woman).

IT Toolbox

PC Advisor is another site with many facets, like IT Toolbox. There are traditional blog posts that discuss different aspects of IT, all written by people who are knowledgeable about the topic. However, there is more to it than meets the eye.

There are several communities and groups devoted to cloud computing, coding techniques, and Linux. IT Toolbox is more geeky than it is cool.

Computer Forum

It is a traditional vBulletin forum, which is refreshingly simple and easy to use in these days when flashy graphics are getting in the way of web usability.

Computer hardware, software, gaming, and the Web are all discussed on this forum. There are currently over 46,000 members and 188,000 threads (at the time of writing). The discussions usually move quickly since hundreds of users are active at the same time. If you can keep up with that pace, then you'll be able to stay up to date with news and views from geeks everywhere.

MakeUseOf

Computer geeks go to MakeUseOf to hang out. Our writers come from a variety of backgrounds and have a variety of interests; our contributors are experts in their fields and eager to assist; and we have a great community hanging out together.

Because you're reading it right now, I assume you already know about MakeUseOf. In the meantime, MakeUseOf features numerous articles every day that, as the name implies, you can find useful. These include app reviews, how-tos, and opinion pieces. There are also Best Ofs, Cheats and Guides, Web Apps, and Geeky Fun.

Conclusions

Here are the sites you should visit first if you need a computer geek in a hurry. Join the crowd at one, or explore other parts of the Web where the content and the creators get even geekier.

By no means is this a comprehensive list. Let us know if you know of any websites that house the coolest computer geeks, as it is the MakeUseOf way. Dweebs, nerds, and dorks are not allowed. These guys are in a different league altogether.