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Are nerds people, too?

The private geek:
Surfing of the other kind

From...

By David Lake

(IDG) -- They were known as "nerds" and "geeks" in high school.

But now we call them friends.

There are an estimated 27 million "technology enthusiasts" in the United States, representing about 13 percent of all adults. And while they're still likely to watch "Star Trek" and play chess, survey data indicates that their lifestyles and interests are much less geeky than one might expect.

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To create a profile, The Industry Standard -- an online and print information-economy magazine -- identified a group of tech-focused adults using data from Mediamark Research Inc.'s (MRI) consumer behavior study. MRI polls 26,000 Americans each year about their buying habits and personal lives, and its data is widely used by marketers.

The Standard defined tech enthusiasts as Americans who use the Internet, have a home computer and own two or more high-tech gadgets. When surveyed, these individuals also say they're early adopters of high-tech products and believe technology is important to their lives.

It turns out that -- using these criteria to sort out Mediamark's survey universe -- geeks are rich. Forty-four percent say they have household incomes of $75,000 or more, and 40 percent graduated from college. But they're not that young -- more than half are between the ages of 35 and 54.

Perhaps most surprisingly, techies say they're not tethered to their computers.

• Their survey responses suggest they're more likely to participate in almost all sports and leisure activities than U.S. adults overall.

• They travel, and they're heavy readers of newspapers and magazines.

• The TV show they say they're most likely to watch? Not "Star Trek" spinoffs or "The X-Files," but "Friends."

America's tech enthusiasts

Techies say they're early adopters of technology. They say they surf the Web and own home computers along with other electronic gadgets. They say they're obsessed with electronics. According to their responses to Mediamark's inquiries:

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78 percent sent e-mail in the past month

51 percent surf the Net for fun

30 percent go online daily

38 percent have a camcorder

27 percent have a home fax machine

23 percent own a home-theater system

21 percent play online games

15 percent have been online for more than five years

9 percent own a minidisk player

7 percent listen to Internet radio

6 percent have a laserdisc player

They're big readers

This group says it's highly likely to read Consumer Reports, Entertainment Weekly, Men's Journal, Outside, PC World, Runner's World, Ski, Spin, the Wall Street Journal and Working Mother.

They say they're less likely to read Ebony, Harper's Bazaar, Health, Hunting and WWF magazine.

They're athletic

Techies say they're highly likely to participate in snowboarding, scuba diving, downhill skiing, whitewater rafting, golf, racquetball, martial arts, hockey and aerobics.

They're investors

Tech enthusiasts say they're highly likely to trade mutual funds, use a stock rating service, seek financial planning advice and have an American Express Gold card.

They're TV junkies

In addition to "Friends," techies say they're highly likely to watch "Ally McBeal," "E.T. Weekend," "Malcolm in the Middle," "Star Trek," "The West Wing," "Will & Grace" and "Whose Line Is It Anyway?"

They say they're less likely to watch "America's Funniest Home Videos," "Baywatch," "Candid Camera," Malcolm & Eddie," "Moesha," "Shasta," "Touched by an Angel" and "Wheel of Fortune."

They're active

Tech enthusiasts say they keep themselves busy. They're highly likely to make models and ceramics, attend rock concerts, play chess, go to museums, shoot billiards and fly kites.

They're eclectic

19 percent classify themselves as liberal, 35 percent conservative, 36 percent middle of the road

46 percent say they've bought a lottery ticket in the past 12 months

80 percent own their own home

18 percent keep tropical fish

70 percent say they bought a book in the past year; 53 percent say they read one

4 million go to the movies at least once a month

They're globe-trotters

A third of techies surveyed said they've traveled overseas in the past three years. They say they're are highly likely to have visited France, Greece, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Middle East, Russia and Spain.

Here, in chart form, are some more findings of the Standard's breakdown of Mediamark Research data.

THEY'RE WEALTHY AND EDUCATED
	U.S. ADULTS	TECH ENTHUSIASTS
Total	200.6 million	26.7 million
Male	48%	51%
Female	52%	49%
AGE
18 to 24	13%	13%
25 to 34	19%	21%
35 to 44	22%	27%
45 to 54	18%	24%
55 or older	28%	15%
HOUSEHOLD INCOME
$75,000 or more	25%	44%
$60,000 to $74,999	11%	16%
$40,000 to $59,999	21%	21%
$20,000 to $39,999	24%	14%
Less than $20,000	19%	5%
EDUCATION
Postgraduate	8%	13%
Bachelor's degree	15%	25%
Attended college	27%	35%
High school grad	33%	23%
Did not graduate high school	17%	4%
OCCUPATION
Professional	10%	18%
Executive, manager	10%	16%
Clerical, technical	19%	24%
Other employed	26%	21%
Not employed, retired	35%	21%
RACE
White	84%	90%
Black	12%	6%
Asian	3%	3%
Other	1%	1%
MARITAL STATUS
Single	24%	22%
Married	57%	67%
Divorced, other	19%	11%
CHILDREN
One	17%	20%
Two	15%	20%
Three or more	10%	9%
None	58%	51%
REGION OF U.S.
New England	5%	6%
Mid-Atlantic	16%	15%
East central	13%	11%
West central	15%	17%
Southeast	20%	18%
Southwest	12%	12%
Pacific	19%	21%
CITY TYPE
Central city	35%	33%
Suburban	46%	51%
Rural	19%	16%

All statements of likelihood refer to a comparison of tech enthusiasts to U.S. adults overall. "Highly likely" means techies are at least 40 percent more likely to be in the specified group; "less likely" means techies are at least 15 percent less likely to be in the group. Tech enthusiasts include U.S. adults who accessed the Net in the past 12 months, own a home computer and have two or more of the following devices: DVD player, digital camera or handheld computer. The individuals must also say they like technology, find technology important to them and are likely to purchase new technology products. Source: Mediamark Research, Spring 2001