It is difficult to compare the career success of two such disparate types. Writing as an Englishman, well versed in the English language, but lacking the subtleties of current American slang, it is understood that a nerd is a computer expert and a jock is to be a Scotsman. So how does one set about comparing these two?

In the modern, computer-driven world, many nerds have achieved the ultimate success of leading dynamic, innovative companies to the level of world leaders in their field. Messrs Gates and Jobs come to mind, and there are many others in the areas of computers, software development, communications and the like who have made personal fortunes.

If making a personal fortune is a level of success, then many nerds have it - in spades. But the success of jocks in particular fields of human endeavour cannot be overlooked, and this is success in more varied subjects than tend to be studied in Silicon Valley.

For many years the best doctors, scientists and engineers, wherever in the world they were to be found, were Scotsmen, and Scotland has also produced its fair share of writers like R.M. Ballantyne, J.M. Barrie, R.L. Stevenson and ‘Rabbie’ Burns. So it is a question of where to start.

Andrew Carnegie was an industrialist and philanthropist.

Joseph Lister was the world pioneer in antiseptic surgery. How many people do you know who use Listerine?

Lord Kelvin studied electromagnetism and thermodynamics, giving his name to the scale of absolute temperature measurement.

Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin.

Joseph Black was the first chemist to isolate pure carbon dioxide.

Robert Brown discovered Brownian motion, the math and concepts of which are involved in predicting risks and future events like stock market fluctuations, and also in creating virtual landscapes for computer games. Perhaps he was really a nerd.

James Dewar invented the vacuum flask.

The mathematician John Napier invented logarithms.

James Watt’s development of the steam engine was instrumental in the development of the industrial revolution.

James ‘Paraffin’ Young patented a method of distilling coal and oil to make lighting and heating fuels.

John Rennie Mackintosh was a ground-breaking designer of furniture.

Alexander Graham Bell made so many inventions, to list them would take more words than Helium allows.

And, of course, Montgomery Scott was chief engineer on the original Starship Enterprise.

When this writer was a child, there were three doctors in the local practice. All were Scotsmen. When this writer was older, he watched doctors practice in television series. OK, Dr. Kildare was Irish, but Dr. Finlay and his older partner Dr. Cameron were as Scottish as heather. Now this writer watches House, and what more Scottish name could there be than Hugh Laurie?

Most of the roads are covered in Tar macadam, named after the Scottish inventor. When it rains one wear a macintosh. So many jocks have made developments and inventions which are now taken for granted, indeed their names are used in everyday speech. One must agree they far outnumber the nerds in their overall level of success.