[pushingbits]

Here's a thought experiment. Take Donald Knuth, assume that he doesn't have a cave, has great social skills and no control issues. Would you consider him a nerd?

Instinctively, I would say yes.

The essence is being competent. All those other things are just side effects. Very common side effects, which is why they became part of the stereotype, but still optional.

[RiderOfGiraffes]

I know people who are as brilliant, productive and esoteric as Don, and who don't have a cave, and do have great social skills, and don't have control issues, and no, I wouldn't call them nerds.

In fact, I know Don Knuth peripherally, and I don't think he is a nerd.

<shrug>

The baggage you have for the word "nerd" is different from mine. The article is definitely describing mine. In essence you said it earlier: your semantics don't match mine. They obviously don't match the author's either. Or my wife's. Or my colleagues'.