What exactly is a "fanboy"?

[Zhukov]

The term "fanboy" gets slung around here quite a bit. Valve fanboys, Bioware fanboys, console fanboys, PC fanboys etc etc.

I'm familiar with the concept, but... what exactly do you people mean when you say it?

I tried coming up with a working definition, and all I got was "someone who displays enthusiasm for a thing that I do not particularly like."

 

[SnootyEnglishman]

A "fanboy" or "fangirl" is someone who likes a console/book/musical group etc and has such a high opinion of it that they will talk down to anyone who doesn't like what they like and who's idea will never ever be changed no matter what.

 

[Just_A_Glitch]

I tried coming up with a working definition, and all I got was "someone who displays enthusiasm for a thing that I do not particularly like."

Pretty much what you said, just with a little more added onto it.

"someone who displays enthusiasm for a thing that I do not particularly like, and refuses to understand, acknowledge, or listen to any other opinion presented."

Hell, you could even agree with them and they'd still fanboy-rage all over you simply because you don't agree with them enough. Its happened to me plenty of times.

 

[Grey_Focks]

Someone who loves something (in your cases, a developer or gaming platform) without question, and who defends it to the point of simply insulting people who dislike it.

Example!

Person: "I dislike Valve"

fanboy: "YOUR MOTHER IS DIRTY WHORE!"

Yay!

 

[Tartarga]

Just go to a public high school and scream "twilight sucks" at the top of you lungs. You will find the answer you are looking for pretty quickly.

 

[Estocavio]

Someone who loves something (in your cases, a developer or gaming platform) without question, and who defends it to the point of simply insulting people who dislike it.

Example!

Person: "I dislike Valve"

fanboy: "YOUR MOTHER IS DIRTY WHORE!"

Yay!

Exactly - That about sums it up

 

[Romidude]

Me when I even remotely like something.

 

[Se7enUpMustang]

Someone who loves something (in your cases, a developer or gaming platform) without question, and who defends it to the point of simply insulting people who dislike it.

Example!

Person: "I dislike Valve"

fanboy: "YOUR MOTHER IS DIRTY WHORE!"

Yay!

nuff said

 

[Necator15]

Someone who has an opinion that "x" can do no wrong, and will accept no argument to the contrary.

 

[StriderShinryu]

Yeah, I don't think it's got anything to do with what you like or what you don't like, it's all about what they like and will feverishly defend (and attack) without any reason beyond them really really (really) liking (or disliking) it themselves. For example, I quite enjoy Street Fighter and would certainly consider myself a fan but even I think SF fanboys who attack any fighting game that is not SF are stupid. It's that sort of blind love for something where they won't even acknowledge that what they like has any flaws regardless of how silly or hypocritical it makes them.