spod

chat (Great Britain) A lower form of life found on chat

systems and MUDs. The spod has few friends in RL and uses

chat instead, finding communication easier and preferable over

the net. He has all the negative traits of the computergeek without having any interest in computers per se.

Lacking any knowledge of, or interest in, how networks work,

and considering his access a God-given right, he is a major

irritant to sysadmins, clogging up lines in order to reach

new MUDs, following passed-on instructions on how to sneak

his way onto Internet ("Wow! It's in America!") and

complaining when he is not allowed to use busy routes. A true

spod will start any conversation with "Are you male or

female?" (and follow it up with "Got any good

numbers/IDs/passwords?") and will not talk to someone

physically present in the same terminal room until they log

onto the same computer that he is using and enter chat.

Compare newbie, tourist, weenie, twink, terminaljunkie, dweeb.

[Jargon File]

(1998-01-18)