Slashdot | Is This How to Carry Your Gadgets? If you want the ultimate computer geekware, let me clue you in. NOTHING. No phone, no PDA, no other crap. A real geek doesn't need toys. Wherever he goes, people hand him THEIR toys, all he needs is his mind. And besides, a real pro wants to be SHIELDED from all the annoying calls, pages, etc.

I have often tested this principle when I do consulting gigs. I call it the "Naked Consultant Game." Whenever possible, I go in to the site carrying nothing but a pencil. Occasionally a client will be puzzled, asking where's my phone, laptop, etc. I ask them if they want me to fix their stuff, or if they'd rather look at a bunch of cheap plastic toys. I tell them I'd gladly carry a bunch of crap to gawk at, but it will cost them extra, and take me longer to get onsite carrying all that crap.