Dork, dweeb, geek, techie or trekkie? What is a nerd? Dr. Suess first used the word "nerd" in 1950 to describe a "small, scruffy, humanoid creature with a large head and a comically disapproving expression." Newsweek, just a year later, reported that the word was beginning to take on a derogatory meaning to mean someone who is narrow-minded and rigidly conventional. Over the next two decades the meaning of the word did not improve. In 1971, The Observer called nerds, "people who don't live meaningful lives," and the Chicago Tribune in 2002 called it simply, "Silicon Valley." Considering that nerd is a slang word, the volatility of its meaning and usage is unsurprising. It is therefore not surprising that the meaning of the word is changing again. Behind the change this time is the Internet, which serves as a boundless breeding ground for communities. The web has united nerds, transforming the label from a derogatory categorization to one that people generally embrace. The web has stimulated exclusive communities of nerds. "News for nerds. Stuff that matters," reads the slogan of the popular blog Slashdot. This blog, which receives 5.5 million visits per month, is about “Linux, Technology, Games, Apple and Science”. Voted on Yahoo in 2001 as the "best hangout for geeks," it has truly created a community where nerds can discuss their interests. As a result, the site sees active participation from its readers who discuss with others around the world with similar interests. These virtual conversations provide an outlet for visitors to express interests they might not otherwise have expressed. Unlike other popular blogs, Slashdot publishes user-submitted content alongside editor-created content. Because the minimum threshold of knowledge needed to contribute to the d... middle of paper... is something that would normally be considered nerdy. Ultimately, this means that being a “nerd” nowadays doesn't necessarily mean you're different. Even better, when people discover the site the overall response is positive. It's undeniable that the Internet is changing our daily lives, whether it's buying clothes on eBay, getting directions from Google, or making decisions with Microsoft Bing. Likewise, the Internet has changed the connotation of the word nerd. By allowing communities large and small to grow and making mass media news nerdy, the Internet is challenging what it classically meant to be a nerd. While the transformation is not complete, evidence of the change is evident today: in writing this essay I have been called a nerd too many times to count, yet not once have I felt insulted, instead each time the insult has been received with a smile and laugh.