On 26 Mar, 15:45, Grant Edwards <inva...@invalid.invalid> wrote: > On 2010-03-26, Luis M Gonz?lez <luis...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > Webmonkey, Greasemonkey, monkey-patching, Tracemonkey, J?germonkey, > > Spidermonkey, Mono (monkey in spanish), codemonkey, etc, etc, etc... > > > Monkeys everywhere. > > Sorry for the off topic question, but what does "monkey" mean in a > > nerdy-geek context?? > > In colloquial English, "<something>-monkey" is a slang term for a > person who does a particular job for a living. For example "grease > monkey" is a slang term for an auto mechanic. A "code monkey" is > somebody who writes code for a living. > > It can be slightly derogitory in some situations since it implies that > the task is mechanical and repetitive and doesn't require a lot of > creative thinking. > > However, it can be used among peers in an affectionate way. One may > refer to one's peer as "code monkey" without offense, but a manager > could not refer to one of his employees as a "code monkey" without > risking it being seen as an insult. > > Many people are accustomed to speaking anthopomorphically about > computers and programs, so when somebody writes a program that does > "foo", the name "foo monkey" seems natural for that program. > > -- > Grant Edwards grant.b.edwards Yow! I don't know WHY I > at said that ... I think it > gmail.com came from the FILLINGS in > my rear molars ...
Can I take the slight risk that actually it can also be (as you said 'affectionately') in a very positive sense. The same way "geek" or "nerd" can be applied. I used to be called "Big Geek" from the last company I worked for on PAYE, but that was a compliment. But, I've heard my step-dad call someone a "Geek" which is derogatory. No winning when you have language that can mean "bad" (in meaning "wicked/very good/awesome" (and even 'wicked' means good sometimes - as in enthusiasm for an idea)) or actually "bad/not good [add your own synonyms]". All valid, but which is good/bad :) Anyway, this' a group for Python, not English :) Feel better for my rant :) Jon. -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
