The Goth Code Version 2.5

The Goth Code Version 2.5A

-v2.5 first released 8th June 1996; bug-fixed v2.5A last updated 9th August 96-


-= By Peter T. Caffin (synic@omen.com.au) =-

Note: As with all postings to USENET, this article is copyright worldwide. I don't mind you printing this out for personal use, however, if you wish to distribute this article in any other means than by reposting it to USENET, please email me beforehand to obtain permission. Copyright is assumed on the versions 1.xx, and 2.0x.

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Introduction to Version 2.5
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Welcome to The goth.code v2.5. Like the Geek Code and the Twink Code, this is a code that you can attach to your .Signature in email or USENET postings to give people an idea of who you are. It's specially tailored to "alternative types."

The goth.code has been optimised a fair bit, and been sliced and diced a fair bit as well, since Version 2.0. Version 2.0 will, I think, remain the most comprehensive goth.code, and no doubt it will remain in favour for people who want to classify -everything-, and make it all known.

Version 2.5 is aimed squarely at people who would -like- to use a goth.code, but, don't have enough room for Version 2.0 in their .signatures. I've culled out some of the more obscure bits, and expanded a couple of bits just a little.. Aside from a few bug-fixes and such (that always crop up), this will likely be the last exclusively gothic .signature code produced (nyah!). Further updates will be in a code called, tentatively, ".code" : it aims to bring together all subcultures into a single scheme. Thus, there will be goth.code 3.0's, punk.code 3.0's and even skate.code 3.0's..

I may as well take the opportunity to point out some of the main faults that I see in goth.codes around the place:

Okay, that's the end of my ranting.. have fun!

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How to create and decipher a code using the Goth Code Version 2.5
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GLOBAL MODIFIERS

These should be used very sparingly.

These should be used before the identifier's prefix:

EXAMPLE (IN CONJUCTION WITH THE SECTION AGE) #1: ?A23 means that, although you think you're 23 years old, you're not sure.
EXAMPLE #2: A23[1] means that you are now 23, but were once aged one. (You'd appear twittish if you actually used this example in your code, though ;-) ).
EXAMPLE #3: A23(142) means that while you're now 23, you specifically want to make it to age 142.. for some reason or other..


What's your education Background?

Goths come in many flavours (chocolate, strawberry, er, kidding ;-) ). The flavours relate to the education and training of the particular gothic in question. Multi-talented goths with more than one field of vocational training should denote their myriad of talents by including them all, separated by the qualifiers listed afterwards. Please write them in the order that you did your qualifications.

To the identifier of each one you add, the qualifier:

Add a "$" to each catagory in which you hold paid work.

EXAMPLE: My Bachelors was in Social Sciences and Humanities, I've done an applied sciences degree (in Information & Library Studies). I'm currently employed in applied sciences, thus my beginning code is: GoSS6Hu6AS6$


TYPE of Goth "Look" ^1^

Add to the "T" prefix up to _three_ of the following:

Put any secondary looks that you are also to be seen out in Try to keep a maximum of three. Use _no_ commas, brackets or spaces between them.

EXAMPLE: while I'm mostly seen looking gothpunk, I also go out sometimes looking fairly fetishy.. and occasionally I'll just be a bit grungey if I'm feeling decrepit, aged and depressed. So, my code here would be: TPFeG
EXAMPLE: Someone who was writing to this group, who is forced by their boss or preference to wear a suit and tie to their work, but wears fetishwear out to clubs, and occasionally wears raver clothes when going out to gay nightclubs would be: TYyuFeYrv


Hair COLOUR and Length

Goths come in all sorts of hair colours, some natural and some `assisted.' In this section, we catagorise your hair colour and length.. The first section deals with colour. Any multiple colourings should be dealt with as for Personality & Appearance types..

If your colour is an `assisted' one, place your natural colour (if you don't mind people knowing it) in round brackets after this.. eg, c1(4).. If your colour is changing of its own accord, then use curly brackets with the most predominant colour first. eg, c1{E}..

Add _one_ modifier to the list which describes best what your hair is doing at the moment:

Add to this the following, to define how long your hair is, measuring at the back:

Add to this, any of the following facial hair characteristics as required:

EXAMPLE #1: Right now, for example, my rating according to this scheme, would be written as: cDBRw6

Your PERSONALITY ^2^

Add to the "P" prefix up to _three_ of the following. As with the Appearance Types, list them with your most prominent one appearing first:

If you're a many-sided creature, then it's fine and dandy to list your two to three most dominant sides, in the same form that you did for your appearance style (see: ^1^). Don't use commas to separate them; the case of the characters indicates where one begins and the other ends.. using commas wastes space ;-).


How much do you like MUSIC?

Add to this any of the following which are appropriate:

And (if applicable) only _one_ of the following:

EXAMPLE: Because I enjoy music and write my own stuff (and sequence it using my DOSbox and a Yamaha PSR400 keyboard), I'd write this code down for myself as: M4p1wD


ZE Gothic music styles you like, mon

By popular demand.. Here's where you should note down the genres of music you like. Add to the "Z" prefix, any of the following (in the order that you like them):

EXAMPLE: If you like all goth music, and ska, then your code would be ZGoPus.

"CYBERPUNKINESS"/Technology Aptitude

One of these describes your abilities with technology: Add one or more of the following modifiers:


What AGE are you?

Write your age in years after the "a" prefix. And don't lie ;-)

Add to this, one of the modifiers:

EXAMPLE: a23-, a100=, a16+

** As an alternative to the above, add the age which _most_ people think you are (and you must have been told this specifically by at least _five_) **

EXAMPLE: Something like three ex-girlfriends and innumerable others still reckon that I look 19. Therefore, my code would be: a24)19(


Body shape/BUILD

Goths come in many shapes and sizes. Build code is divided into two parts. The first indicates your flesh tone and fitness, while the second indicates you roundness. Mix each section to fit yourself.

Firstly, how fit are you?

And now, how chubby are you? (note: you should -not- add a ":" character between these two. You should end up with a double-digit number after the "b") Add to this any of the following that may be appropriate:

EXAMPLE: Miss Sexy is about average in terms of flesh tone and fitness, but, everyone thinks she's a little underweight and says she should put on a little bit.. Under this identifier, she'd be: b52

HEIGHT

Write your height with the H prefix. In contrast to The Goth Code v1.x, we're going to calculate your height in centimetres only. Feet and inches is no longer acceptable.

There are 12 inches to the foot. There are 2.54 cm per inch.

EXAMPLE: Since I'm 5'8", my first calculation is (5 feet x 12 inches) + 8 inches = 68 inches. 68 inches x 2.54 = 172.72 cms. Rounding this to the nearest integer, my height is: 173 cm. In this example, my resulting code is: H173


Pretentiousness (are you GOTHIER-THAN-THOU?)

Pretentiousness has always been a part of being goth. Whether you're pretentiously AntiquityGoth ("I outstyle him/her by miles") or pretentiously SkinGoth ("I can beat the shit out of him/her without trying, if I need to"), now's the time to fess up to your perceived social status.

Add to this _one_ of the following suffixes:

People judge me the most by the way I:


How WEIRD you seem to the "normals"

Goths have a seemingly natural knack for being "weird". As a general rule, the following weird qualifiers allow a goth to rate their weirdness, and how much they're actually _noticed_ as being weird and how often they scare small children.

If you are w6 or higher, then add to your code the following: People think that the wierdest aspect to me is the way I:

RELIGIOUS or Atheistic?

In this code we speak of sex and deviance, so how can we forget guilt? Religious imagery has always been an important part of the goth subculture, as has guilt and angst about one's Faith or lack of it. Rate yourself according to the following:

Add to the this, any of the following that may be appropriate:


When Single (gothic `HAWKISHNESS')

h5 or above people should work out what it is that -initially- attracts them to new partners. Add the Personality Type -or- the Appearance Type section of your desired guy/girl.
EXAMPLE: h6TPe(GMo) or h5P(!G)

Your Gothic SEXUALITY

What sex are you attracted to? In this scale, work out what your percentage of heterosexuality is, then divide it by ten and round this figure to the nearest integer.

EXAMPLES: If you're 100% hetero, then you'd write this as: s10; If you're 5% hetero (95% gay), then write yourself as: s1; If you've become intentionally celebate, and you have no desires to change this, then write yourself down as being: sNA


Your Gothic KINKINESS

In gothic relationships, sexual play can become an issue. Some people can find that a partner they've gotten together with is sexually incompatible. So, where do you stand?


Preferred type of RELATIONSHIP

The Goth scene, like no other, is geared towards the plurality of relationship types.. whether they're open or closed. But, openness with regard to your desires to your partners or prospective partners is always something to be encouraged. Time to state your preferences..

Add to the "R" identifier one of the following which fits you best:


Relationship STATUS

Okay, at the risk of making the Goth Code seem like an excuse to post an abbreviated personal ad at the end of your .Signature (er, well, I suppose it _is_, but, umm ;-) ), use this code to let people know whether they or their friends "'ave a chance."

Add to this an additional suffix from the following:

And add to this a final suffix:

EXAMPLE: So, at the time of writing The Goth Code Version 2.0 (January 1996), my relationship status was: SrNn


NET Resources about/by you

Add to the "N" prefix.. the date that you first began your travels on the Information Superbandwagon, in the format: monthyear (eg, 1295 means that you began netting in December of 1995; 0186 means that you began in January 1986, etc). If you're not actually on the net at all, then write: ----


Your LOCATION

So, where are you living? With the advent of business involvement on the Internet, with such organisations such as AOL, DIALix, etc, putting huge volumes of people on the 'net, you can't rely on people to look up the University in the Commonwealth and United States Yearbooks or other directories to find out where you are.

So, add your Country domain code to the "L" prefix in _LOWERCASE_ (eg, "au" for Australia, "us" for the United States [and for politeness sake, please add this in], "uk" for the United Kingdom) and then your State's general Abbreviation in _UPPERCASE_.

Below is a short list of NIC country codes, as seen in the relevant RFD discussion paper. If your country isn't here in this shortened list, a more complete version should be findable by using http://nic.merit.edu/nsfnet/statistics/nets.by.country

EXAMPLE: So, someone living in Washington State (WA) in the United States of America (us) would be: LusWA
Note: People in the UK seem to have the most trouble with this location scheme. If you're in the UK, I'd suggest using: LukWA for Wales, LukEN for England, LukSC for Scotland, LukNI for Northern Ireland.

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Example Citations
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The whole idea is that you can use the Goth Code in your ordinary email and USENET postings. It fits in even a small four-line signature, with enough space for a little quote :-).

Peter T. Caffin
--
.---+-- Creator/maintainer: aus.culture.gothic FAQ, The Goth.Code, . Peter T .
|   :   aus.politcs Who's Who, etc. http://www.omen.com.au/~synic/ | Caffin, |
|  _oo__   Goth.Code v2.5 GoSS6Hu6AS6$ TSePu cDBRw6 PPeSaNi M4p2wD |  Hel's  |
' //`'\_  ZNrGoPu C6oa24- b55 H173 g6! r3EI k6 RN SrNn N1293 LauWA ' -Synic- '
  /
Peter T. Caffin: http://www.omen.com.au/~synic/ synic@omen.com.au
gothic