# What will I get for this berk? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 6, 2010, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-i-get-for-this-berk/563189 "2010-12-06T19:57:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-i-get-for-this-berk/563189/1 "2010-12-06T19:57:12Z")
I would be interested in a few opinions. I come from a large family, so we do the Kris Kindle thing, buying a present for one person only. This year I have my brother. He is about 23/24, and works as an engineer, travelling worldwide as the job requires it. (Currently a lot of the sites he visits are backwoods in Eastern Europe). I have an idea about getting him something he would enjoy for the long journeys in a service van, or flights, etc etc. The idea of a netbook occurred to me, but I have a few concerns, namely… -What way do netbooks work for internet coverage? I think Iphones will give you internet access through the phone line no matter what country you are in, can you get something similar for Netbooks? -Can Netbooks play DVD’s? -What are the batteries like on netbooks? Should I buy a spare? Failing that, and more importantly, does anybody have any good ideas what to get a twenty something travelling engineer? ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-i-get-for-this-berk/563189/2 "2010-12-06T19:59:51Z")
I would be incredibly surprised if he didn’t already have a netbook provided from his job. > [@](#): > > Failing that, and more importantly, does anybody have any good ideas what to get a twenty something travelling engineer? Booze. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-i-get-for-this-berk/563189/3 "2010-12-06T20:50:37Z")
Kris Kindle thing? Berk? ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-i-get-for-this-berk/563189/4 "2010-12-06T20:52:41Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > Booze. I want to get him something he doesnt already have. > [@acsenray](#): > > Kris Kindle thing? > > Berk? Kris Kindle thing - [Secret Santa - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secret_Santa) Berk - My brother ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-i-get-for-this-berk/563189/5 "2010-12-06T21:09:57Z")
Someone who spends part of their time in Eastern Europe and part of their time in Ireland has no need for MORE booze. The netbook thing sounds like a good idea. I’m pretty sure they don’t play CDs - or at least the one a friend of mine had didn’t. (Although there are surely workarounds to get music onto the computer.) Another would be a digital book sort of thing, like a Kindle or a Nook. I’m pretty sure neither of those specific brands would work in Europe, but there must be some kind of European version of the same idea. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-i-get-for-this-berk/563189/6 "2010-12-06T21:11:32Z")
Get him a netberk. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-i-get-for-this-berk/563189/7 "2010-12-06T21:30:35Z")
> [@bucketybuck](#): > > -Can Netbooks play DVD’s? Netbooks don’t have internal optical drives (that’s one of the sacrifices necessary to make them so small), so no, they can’t play DVDs. Somebody will be along shortly to explain why I’m wrong. ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-i-get-for-this-berk/563189/8 "2010-12-06T23:14:03Z")
> [@Manduck](#): > > Netbooks don’t have internal optical drives (that’s one of the sacrifices necessary to make them so small), so no, they can’t play DVDs. Somebody will be along shortly to explain why I’m wrong. Well, that answers that. He isnt really into music in any great fashion, and I suspect he wouldnt spend any time uploading music to any computer, while I do think he would make use of a DVD feature, as well as the internet surfing ability. (Strangely, I am not keen on portable DVD players. I have an impression of them as… cheap and nasty) I have been reading up on netbooks, and looked into getting mobile broadband. Its seems however that mobile broadband is very expensive when used outside of a home country. I dont mind splashing out on a present, but I would prefer not to have something that leaves him with overlarge running costs going forward. (This is why I havent really considered an iphone, who am I to leave him with a contract or monthly bill) So the Netbook is out. Any other ideas? ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-i-get-for-this-berk/563189/9 "2010-12-06T23:16:24Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > Someone who spends part of their time in Eastern Europe and part of their time in Ireland has no need for MORE booze. > > The netbook thing sounds like a good idea. I’m pretty sure they don’t play CDs - or at least the one a friend of mine had didn’t. (Although there are surely workarounds to get music onto the computer.) Another would be a digital book sort of thing, like a Kindle or a Nook. I’m pretty sure neither of those specific brands would work in Europe, but there must be some kind of European version of the same idea. Unfortunately, hes not really into music, or reading. Yeah, hes a berk. Good mechanic though. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-i-get-for-this-berk/563189/10 "2010-12-06T23:23:26Z")
Just in case you weren’t aware, ‘berk’ is an insult here in the U.K. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-i-get-for-this-berk/563189/11 "2010-12-06T23:35:32Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Just in case you weren’t aware, ‘berk’ is an insult here in the U.K. To expand: it’s rhyming slang. Berkley Hunt = cunt. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-i-get-for-this-berk/563189/12 "2010-12-06T23:47:01Z")
If you were thinking of the iPhone but nixed that because of the monthly bill, then an iPod touch does the same thing (except for the phone service) and doesn’t have a monthly bill. Of course, if you really want to do a Kris Kindle thing, then you should get him a Kindle. ---
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2010, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-i-get-for-this-berk/563189/13 "2010-12-06T23:58:10Z")
> [@bucketybuck](#): > > Yeah, hes a berk. Runs in the family, eh? ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-i-get-for-this-berk/563189/14 "2010-12-07T02:51:30Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > To expand: it’s rhyming slang. Berkley Hunt = cunt. I knew it was usually an insult, but I had no idea of the origin. Does it happen that good friends or brothers might call each other berks, in a spirit of friendly joshing? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-i-get-for-this-berk/563189/15 "2010-12-07T02:53:38Z")
I believe that in Britain, Ireland, and Australia, good friends and brothers (as well as strangers) routinely call each other “cunts” in a spirit of friendly joshing. It only makes sense that the euphemism “berks” would be at least as acceptable. ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-i-get-for-this-berk/563189/16 "2010-12-07T07:45:18Z")
Oh hell, my sister and I call each other cunts all the time, also in a friendly way (we say a lot worse too). I’ll ask my cousin what she’d like. She’s only about a year older than him and she travels back and forth across the country and to Canada doing something technical and scientific. Maybe traveling techy type people have the same wish list. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-i-get-for-this-berk/563189/17 "2010-12-07T07:59:48Z")
What about a portable DVD player, then? Cheaper than an iPod touch, too. eta: oops, sorry, missed that you had ruled those out. ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-i-get-for-this-berk/563189/18 "2010-12-07T08:44:04Z")
> [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](#): > > Runs in the family, eh? Excuse me? ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-i-get-for-this-berk/563189/19 "2010-12-07T11:08:52Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > I believe that in Britain, Ireland, and Australia, good friends and brothers (as well as strangers) routinely call each other “cunts” in a spirit of friendly joshing. It only makes sense that the euphemism “berks” would be at least as acceptable. Calling people a cunt in a friendly way would be very rare. However, “berk” is definitely the type of friendly insulting term you might use about your brother or friend or SO in a joking fashion. ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2010, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-i-get-for-this-berk/563189/20 "2010-12-07T12:25:16Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > What about a portable DVD player, then? Cheaper than an iPod touch, too. > > eta: oops, sorry, missed that you had ruled those out. Thinking on it, I havent ruled one out completely. I might look around and see if there are any good models on the market. I would have preferred having a laptop style device that could also store films, as opposed to having to carry DVD cases around with him. I suspect if he had to carry DVD’s, he might leave it as often as not, which would be a bit of a waste. I suspect I am a little ahead of the technology curve here. > [@Princhester](#): > > Calling people a cunt in a friendly way would be very rare. Not where I come from. Its all good craic. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-will-i-get-for-this-berk/563189.md?page=2)