Geeking/ geeking out

[Gareth Branwyn]

Geeking out is also hacker slang for indulging in techno-lust, playing
with computers or other tech gadgets at an inappropriate time (e.g. at a
social event), or any form of tech indulgence that non-techies may not
understand. This is very commonly used in my social circles. "Look at
you guys geeking out back here. You're missing the party!" I first heard
this used, in this exact situation, in the mid-80s. I was at a party and
a small group of us were gathered around a Macintosh drooling over
PageMaker 1.0. Ah...the good ol' days.

Thom Harrison wrote:
>
> A few years ago, I heard the term "geeking" used to mean selling items on
> the streetcorners, possibly stolen items, possibly for money to buy drugs.
>
> More recently I heard the term "geeking out" used to describe the state of
> going around sniffing, tasting and feeling everything in sight that people
> go through after a binge on methamphetamine or similar drugs.
>
> Both uses would seem to be derived from the old carnival geek.
>
> Has anyone else encountered these terms?
>
> Thom Harrison
> Macon State College