I have contributed to the 'Real World Computing' section of PC Pro magazine here in the UK for, come the next edition, what will be 20 years. During all of the time contributors to the section, consisting of coders and IT consultants, have been affectionately known as beardies. This despite only a handful of us actually sporting the same.

Which got me to thinking, how many beardies are there on DaniWeb? More to the point, do beards and coders/developers/techies/geeks still get thought of as inseperable?

So, go on then, do you have a beard?*

*Ladies need not respond unless they really want to...

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Yes, I have a beard. The beard-to-face ratio at my work (counting just the coders) is 50%.

I have a beard, and a damn fine looking one at that. But off the top of my head, I can't think of anyone else I've worked with recently in the IT sphere that had any significant facial hair.

commented: +1 for irony +0

Not directly addressing the question but looking around my College, more than half of the guys who work with computers on numbers (applied mathematicians, computational biologists, statisticians etc..) have beards but guys who do wet-lab science almost never have beards (biologists, chemists, medical students).

I have one on and off, basically because I am too lazy to shave. Of the 100 or so coworkers I've had I only remember two others with a beard.

I've been sporting a long goatee beard for the last 15 years or so. Don't know too many people in the IT/programming field with beards, but I know plenty of bearded bikers, metallers and musicians!

Had one almost constantly since around 1980. I shave it off every ten years or so when I want a good laugh (or cry). This one is from just before I retired.

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commented: You look nothing like your avatar, in a good way +0

I'm like prit, I have a on and off beard from just being lazy at shaving it. That's fairly common with my colleagues too. But when I shave I leave the sideburns, if that counts as a beard.

I definitely have a beard.
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commented: That's respectable. +0
commented: Ehhh... its getting there :D +0

Gets caught in your mask . .. ...
nobody wants a leaky nbc suit
now retired, still think, gets caught in your mask
clean-shaven buzzcut

but I'm on the perimeter of the world, looking in

had four-week beards after every walkabout, smelled bad too

I leave the sideburns, if that counts as a beard.

Only if they are long enough to tie together under your chin ^_^

Member Avatar for diafol

Here's one I made earlier.

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I no longer sport a beard, it put 10 years on me. The nesting blackbirds used to wake me up in the morning too.

I no longer sport a beard, it put 10 years on me.

I notice that with a beard I get carded less often. There's truth to facial hair adding years to your appearance, as when I'm clean shaven people guess me to be between 10 and 15 years younger. With a beard, they guess closer to 5 years. I suppose I just have a baby face in general. ;p

No beard (see photo from a couple years ago on my Twitter or LinkedIn page if curious).

I sometimes let it grow for a few days, but it gets too itchy and starts to irritate the heck out of me--so I shave.

Plus, I think it starts to show too much grey. I am getting grey around the edges so keep my head pretty trim too (almost like a new army recruit.)

Especially considering that I am sending out resumes and going to job interviews, I do not want to give the appearance of being any older than absolutely necessary. Maybe I am being paranoid, but I am pretty sure most employers want to hire young people.

No beard for me, tried 20 years ago and hated it. I've kept the same look for several years now <-- see my avatar.

I have shaved my head (either totally or partly - I had a long dreadlocked mohawk for some years) for the best part of 20 years now, but have had a beard for most of that time. The beard has varied from a soul patch through to mutton chops and the current 'just let the bugger grow wild' hobo/unix beard look :)

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commented: What is it with you? You've just gotta go out and out-cool everybody else? +0

I suppose I just have a baby face in general.

I have a beard since I was 20. A bet with the guys at school I did'nt dare. I won some beer. When my girlfriend(now my wife) asked me to shave it because she did'nt like it, I did. But I looked as if I was 10!!!
I let it grow again ever since.

Must be cultural. I've rarely if ever seen a coder with a beard here, and most of those were older guys who slithered into the profession from other jobs, usually Unix sys admins and DBAs who were shifted into being PL/SQL programmers and then Oracle Forms programmers, and later became Java programmers when ADF started replacing Oracle Forms.

Member Avatar for iamthwee

Beards happen to be all the rage at the moment. I guess it is just in vogue, I'm sporting one but have since trimmed it as it was getting a bit unkempt.

I am 16 and I grow a beard really easily... it isn't even normal because i remember i first "shaved" it in the 4th grade. I think it has to do with the fact that I originate from the middle east (despite the fact that I look like a white male with a nice tan and thick black hair). Let me see if i can get a pic of myself.

No beard for me ;) I even shave my chest, cuz my biggest hobby is bodybuilding so I clear off all the hair to show dem gainz ;)

@Slavi, i am kind of like a bodybuilder except with the fact that I play football, 100m sprint, soccer, martial arts, and basketball... i am really cut (bodyfat last measured at 7.7%, it has gone up due to Ramadan), big (does 16.5 inch biceps count as big for a 16 year old lol), strong (I can 50 wide grip pull ups in one set now, bench 275, and squat 315, i have not measured a max in squat for a awhile), but since your a bodybuilder... your by default bigger then me.

Member Avatar for diafol

I though we were comparing beards not penis size. zzzzz.

commented: lol +0
Member Avatar for diafol

If that was me...

@<M/>, i am kind of like a bodybuilder except with the fact that I play tiddlywinks, 100m walk, fusbol, marital toys, and swingball... i am really uncut (bodyfat last measured at 77.7%, it has gone up due to Domino's), obese (does 16.5 inch love handles count as big for a 46 year old lol), weak (I can almost do one wide grip pull ups in one set now, bench a baby goat, and squat on a toilet, i have not measured a max stool length in squatting for a awhile), but since your a bodybuilder... your by default thicker then me.

@<M/> - from your various descriptions, are you sure that you're not a Dwarf-Ork hybrid thingy?

//EDIT - back to beards (that was weird)...

Here's my baby face now - 10 years younger methinks...

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@<M/> - from your various descriptions, are you sure that you're not a Dwarf-Ork hybrid thingy?

Yep, i am sure :) I am just very special.

I have sported a mustache on and off. Usually a bad cold comes up making a mess of it, so the thing is gone for a while.

commented: that's rank :D +0
Member Avatar for diafol

I have sported a mustache on and off. Usually a bad cold comes up making a mess of it...

That's just so wrong. I was just about to have some custard. Bleargh! Think I'll just go to bed instead :(

Mine is more stubble than a beard. I trim it every week and haven't clean shaved in about 4 years but still can't get it to join fully on the right side!.

Since sporting the stubble at 21 I've had a maid at a hotel said "my son is his age and he doesn't look like that" and a guy I work with almost have a heart attack when he found out I was only 24 and saying "F.... hell is that it, you must have had a hard life, my watch is older that you!"

If I clean shaved I'd probabbly get turned away from the rides at Alton Towers...

commented: heh heh +0
commented: lol +0
commented: You should be a comedian, that's hilarious lol! +0
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