14 Sep 2005 23:15
Origins of the word "n00b"
n00b wrote:The informal term newbie (n00b or noob in leetspeak is not the same) means a newcomer to a particular corner of cyberspace, such as a game, newsgroup, or the World Wide Web itself or to an operating system. It can be both a disparaging and friendly term, always referring to a neophyte. The word itself is likely a corruption of new boy, the equivalent figure in real life—usually observed as a new arrival in a school and who is, therefore, vulnerable to bullying of various kinds. On Google's Usenet archive, the word first appears in 1988. The term was in common use in the U.S. Army by that time.
Negative connotations
In a group, the term newbie is often used for a new user who asks allegedly "dumb" questions (typically questions which are clearly answered in a list of rules or frequently asked questions) and whose behavior does not conform to the accepted standards of the community (often to the point of rudeness), to the consternation or amusement of the old hands. Due to their inexperience, these newcomers are sometimes picked on and may not feel welcome. If they are friendly, they tend to learn more and stay; if not friendly, they tend to be "kicked out" or ostracized.
In some groups, the term is used by the regulars (sometimes called regs) against any newcomer, whether the newcomer acts ignorantly or not. In this case, the regulars assert their position using what basically amounts to the internet equivalent of hazing.
Referring to regular members as newbies is often considered to be highly insulting. The implication is that they are behaving as if they do not know the rules when in fact they have had more than sufficient opportunity to learn them.
Positive connotations
In other communities, newbies are received with extra attention. Some chat rooms, for example, have established rules to ask "oldies" to first answer the newbies' questions or concerns before resuming their ongoing discussions.
Other communities do not treat newbies with a significantly elevated status, but do greet most of the friendly newbies with welcomes informing them the methods to get help.
In these situations, the term is basically synonymous with newcomer and is meant with or without affection.
The positive interpretation is probably the more recent but has become quite common. The only way to determine the intended connotation is to examine the context.
Noob or n00b
A noob, n00b, nub, or übern00b is a newbie who claims to know a lot about a subject, but really does not. They often show off their false skills to gain a reputation. The term is almost always meant to be offensive. It was first used in hacker groups on the BBS chat systems in the 1970s. It is important to note that noob and newb are not interchangeable.
The spelling noob or n00b, while originally having a specific meaning, is now generally used to refer to all forms of newbies, usually in a joking manner. In a context where newbie means simply new, n00b may sometimes be used as the derogatory equivalent.
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