Call them square or tell them they're four-eyed brainiacs. They won't mind - they call themselves geeks after all.

Uniting to celebrate their love of all things uncool, a group of technology lovers have launched their own Girl Geek Dinner nights to meet fellow boffins.

They gather at The Eagle pub in Gloucester Road, Brighton, where they socialise, talk about the latest programming software and enter a challenge to find the best means of communicating - Instant Messenger or Twitter, a site for talking about what you are currently doing?

The text vote is counted and revealed at the end of the night, and selected entrees win a bunch of computer books.

Gillian Pearce, 49, said: "It's really exciting to be able to talk about computer stuff without peoples' eyes glazing over.

"Most people ask 'what do you do' and when you tell them you work with the internet you see them nod politely and completely switch off."

Carina Harrison, 27, said: "It's good to get some intellectual stimulation after looking at my PC all day."

Alysia Hill, 26, a website designer, said: "Geek used to be a derogatory term but now I think it's cool to be a geek."

Rosie Sherry, who organises the dinners, said their first two have been a huge success.

She said: "We had 20 people on the reserve list this time - our 40 spots get sold out in about five hours. About a quarter of them are men."

Men are welcome, but only when invited by a woman.

They too come to socialise and talk technology when they find little sympathy for their passions at home.

Simon Harriyott, 34, a programmer from Uckfield, organises his own Sussex Geek Dinners.

He said: "It started when I went out for a drink with a friend and we spent the whole evening excitedly talking about programming. I can't do that with the wife at home - she's a teacher and she really isn't interested."

He said it is not exclusively for those working in technology either. He went on: "Last time we had a woman who worked in an operating theatre."

Antony Ribot, 26, a mobile software developer, from Brighton, said: "When I arrived in Brighton all us geeks were keeping within our own little worlds and there was no socialising. That's why these evenings are great."

The organisers are now looking for help with organising, sponsoring or speaking at the events. To find out more visit brightongirlgeekdinners.co.uk.

Have you attended a geek dinner night? Leave your comments below.