Drug Dealers vs. Geeks

DRUG DEALERS

GEEKS

Refer to their clients as “users”	Refer to their clients as “users”
“The first one’s free!”	“Download a free trial version…”
Have important Asian connections.	Have important Asian connections.
Strange jargon: “Stick” “Rock” “Wrap” “E” “Stash” “Drive-by” “Hit (LSD)” “Source” “The Pigs”	Strange jargon: “SCSI” “RTFM” “Packet” “C” “Cache” “CTRL ALT DEL” “Hit (WWW)” “Source-code” “Microsoft”
Realize that there’s tons of cash in the 14- to 25-year-old market	Realize that there’s tons of cash in the 14- to 25-year-old market
Clients really like your stuff when it works. When it doesn’t work they want to kill you.	Clients really like your stuff when it works. When it doesn’t work they want to kill you.
Job is assisted by the industry’s producing newer, more potent product.	Job is assisted by the industry’s producing newer, more potent product.
Often seen in the company of pimps, hustlers and low-lifes.	Often seen in the company of marketing people, venture capitalists and fund managers.
When things go wrong, a “fix” is just a phone call away, but may be expensive.	When things go wrong, a “fix” is just a phone call away, but may be expensive.
A lot of people are getting rich while still teenagers.	A lot of people are getting rich while still teenagers.
Product causes unhealthy addictions	DOOM, Quake, SimCity, Duke Nukem 3D…
Do your job well and you can sleep with sexy movie stars who depend on you.	DAMN!!!  DAMN!!! DAMN!!!