Attack of the Fuddy Duddies!

Fuddy Duddy (n.): A self proclaimed expert whose arrogance of opinion is without just cause, but whose outpourings are intended to herd people in a particular direction, while providing comfort to those with a vested interest in people going in said direction.

Pamela Jones, of Groklaw fame, was in fine form with this piece on why she wants to become an analyst.

In it, she satirises 'experts' who use their supposed status to add an aura of authority to their FUD (esp. on matters pertaining to Linux).

With most people in the know, such pontifications fall flat. They are duds.

On the other hand, it seems to work for a large part of their audience (or why else would they keep on displaying their ignorance as bliss?)

I just thought the world needed a term to put such folk in their place :-)