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What is a NOOB?

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T

Tinster

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I have recently noticed the use of the word NOOB
by several members.
It appears to be a derogatory word, in the
context it is being used on several forums.

Since I'm an old geezer and not current with
the latest slang terms, I looked NOOB up.

Yup! It is a flat out insult, made by someone who
considers himself superior. To me this goes against
the basic premise of the British Car Forum.
It appears I and all the other non-expert BCF members
are now considered NOOBs.

What is a NOOB:

"catch-all insult regardless of the recipient's actual
skill or experience. Generally used in a derogatory manner
to indicate uselessness because of the ignorance associated
with being a newcomer."

Well, THAT is certainly an unfriendly Welcome Mat to any
new, inexperienced LBC owners who join the BCF looking for help.
It has always been my understanding Basil does not
permit derogatory slang to be used on his site.

Just my 2 cents, given as I am a NOOB.
I'll crawl back into my coconut now.

dale (Tinster)
 
I don't know where that definition came from, but I've always associated a NOOB as just being a <span style="font-weight: bold">new guy</span> to the proceedings. I don't recall it to be used to mean anything derogatory. Maybe I've got this all wrong, but that's how I've always seen it.
 
Dale,
I do not take offense when I am a newbie in any hobby. I realize that there are always people who know more, and who may be able to help protect me from my lack of knowledge. At one time I was a noob on ebay, and actually one of my favorite sellers canceled my bid on one of their items and then made a private sale later because I had bid way over value. I have since tried to help others from spending too much on an item that I knew was bid too high, but with ebay's current policy of hiding a bidder's identity, you cannot protect them from themselves. I am still a noob about British Cars, electronics, computers and much more, and I am honored when a more experienced person takes me under their wing and helps protect me from myself.
 
No Dale, it is not derogatory as I have generally seen it used here. It is a term of endearment if anything. NOOB simply refers to someone who is "new" to something (like the internet, or a forum, or British cars, whatever). It "could" have negative connotations, but context is everything and I've not seen it used in a negative context here (so far). Another spelling is Newbie, and from Wikipedia:

Newbie is a slang term for a newcomer to an Internet activity, for example online gaming. It can also be used for any other activity in whose context a somewhat clueless newcomer could exist. It can have derogatory connotations, but is also often <span style="font-weight: bold">used for descriptive purposes only, without a value judgment.</span>

If you do a search in the New Members forum for the term "newbie" you will find page after page where new members have described themselves as "Newbies" (e.g., "Another Newbie")

I recently bought a Mac Book laptop. It is the first Apple computer I've owned (I bought the wife an iMac earlier). I refer to myself as an Apple "Newbie" because, well, that's what I am.

Like I said, context is everything and in the context the term is used here, I've not seen it used as anything other than friendly banter; therefore, I'm not concerned about it. If a member calls a member a (Blank) hole, or a dumb (blank), then the context is clearly derogatory. Newbie has become a common term on the internet and is rarely, if ever, used here as a derogatory expression.
 
On more thing. I just did a search of all forums, going back 6 months, for the term "noob." I could not find a single instance in which someone was using the term in a derogatory fashion. In fact, every instance of the term I found was where someone was referring to themselves as a "noob."

Dale, you said you have seen "several" instances in "several" forums where someone was using the term in a derogatory fashion. I'm going to lock this thread now, but <span style="font-weight: bold">please PM me with links to specific instances where you think someone is using the term in a derogatory manner</span> and I will be happy to make a determination. But my 6-month search of the term I found none.

For future reference, if you (or anyone else) feels someone is out of line or making any sort of personal attack, or making derogatory comments - please address it with me via PM rather than bringing it up in the open forum.
 
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