The Jargon File (version 4.4.7, 29 Dec 2003):
neophilia
/nee`oh?fil'?ee?@/, n.
The trait of being excited and pleased by novelty. Common among most
hackers, SF fans, and members of several other connected leading-edge
subcultures, including the pro-technology ?Whole Earth? wing of the ecology
movement, space activists, many members of Mensa, and the Discordian/
neo-pagan underground (see geek). All these groups overlap heavily and
(where evidence is available) seem to share characteristic hacker tropisms
for science fiction, music, and oriental food. The opposite tendency is
neophobia.
The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (30 December 2018):
neophilia
/nee"oh-fil"-ee-*/ The trait of being excited and pleased by
novelty. Common among most hackers, SF fans, and members of
several other connected leading-edge subcultures, including
the pro-technology "Whole Earth" wing of the ecology movement,
space activists, many members of Mensa, and the
Discordian/neo-pagan underground. All these groups overlap
heavily and (where evidence is available) seem to share
characteristic hacker tropisms for science fiction, music,
and oriental food. The opposite tendency is "neophobia".
[Jargon File]
(1999-06-04)