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Laptops with Stickers

(stickertop.art)
601 points z303 | 3 comments | 02 Nov 25 11:58 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source
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dinkleberg ◴[11 Nov 25 22:25 UTC] No.45893730[source]▶
Wow most of these are quite the contrast to what I used to see back in the day. At least in my circles it was just a collection of the technologies you’ve learned and enjoy. These are more like bumper stickers on the back of car. To each their own I suppose.
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shagie ◴[11 Nov 25 22:42 UTC] No.45893894[source]▶
When I was going to conferences, my laptop stickers were a public display of "these are technologies that I use and you can strike up a conversation with me about them." To an extent, a resume that you can glance at from across the room.

It's a bit of a statement for what you're trying to communicate with that lid - professional experience, political statements, personal "this is neat"...

And part of this is a for me the lid of the laptop is something that I'd need to be able to be comfortable with displaying in front of a CxO without worry about if they may be offended or not (though perl might be offensive to some).

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wyclif ◴[12 Nov 25 00:47 UTC] No.45895028[source]▶
That's why even though I like the weird and esoteric stickers you see here, I myself prefer the `unixstickers` style I think you're talking about. Debian, Arch, GNU, Python, bash, Ruby, Git, Vim, fork bomb, Tux, DEFCON, 127.0.0.1, &c. These are great for starting conversations, even in cafes. And you end up meeting some interesting people with shared culture.
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1. shagie ◴[12 Nov 25 01:03 UTC] No.45895176[source]▶
It is about advertising one's (possible) shared culture. For me, my laptop is part of my professional culture and thus I try to keep it as crisp and professional in appearance as one's resume since its a bit... difficult to laptop lids in certain cases.

For my personal shared culture, that is the sort of thing that can be exposed (or hidden) on a case by case basis. My choice of t-shirt where I can button up or down depending on the context says a lot more about me than the lid of my laptop. Granted, it' one message at a time - but there are things that I've had on t-shirts that I made sure to button up before going into the office and seeing the boss (old school, and I still have it - those were durable shirts - https://www.flickr.com/photos/strihs/8536766235/ ). On the other hand, I wouldn't put https://www.spreadshirt.com/shop/design/let+me+work+on+your+... on my laptop no matter how much I agree with it.

I would be amendable to putting a square of #22b7f2 on my laptop, and that opens up an entire discussion if recognized (I'm not quite ambitious or passionate enough to color the entire laptop that color).

In another comment I linked https://imgur.com/a/jWhyBmI as my laptop lid.

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2. brewdad ◴[12 Nov 25 02:01 UTC] No.45895550[source]▶
I keep my travel laptop clean of any outward expression. Saves a lot of potential grief crossing borders or cultures.

My at home and around town laptop can be my canvas.

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3. shagie ◴[12 Nov 25 03:00 UTC] No.45895953[source]▶
My work computer is spotless. My personal conference (and work appropriate - security wouldn't find anything unprofessional or untoward on it) laptop is the one with some stickers that are technologies that I want to put on there. My personal computer at home is desktop... so no stickers there.

Even crossing company culture borders could be problematic if one is a consultant or sales engineer or professional services... This is one of those "in the wrong environment, something could scupper a deal - and you don't want that to be pinned on you."