Apple in code search profanity outrage

'Register the f**king window class'

By Lester Haines • Get more from this author

Posted in Software, 13th October 2006 09:39 GMT

Increase your knowledge of the latest threats to your busines

NSFW Our chums down at SecurityFocus recently warned that Google's new Code Search facility could allow developers' open source repositories to be "easily mined, allowing attackers to target programs that are likely to be flawed".

A chilling warning, to be sure. However, we have just been made aware that code search engines could be used in a far more sinister way, viz: to expose the sort of stealth corporate profanity which would have the American Family Association reaching for its bible and demanding the immediate casting down into hell of all open source material. Take this example, gleaned from Koders.com:

For the record, the above shocker comes to you courtesy of the Apple Corporation, which really ought to know better than to expose innocent kiddies to this kind of filth.

It gets worse. Further in-depth investigation revealed this Javascript obscenity:

Hmmm. While we may agree with the sentiment, there really is no excuse for this kind of language.

And just in case you were thinking this malaise is restricted to the occassional bit of effing, look what happened to one poor chap who, at line 1,373 of this particular slog, finally lost the will to live:

We're sure the public-spirited among you will immediately trawl the world's entire open source repository and make any further outrages against public decency know to the relevant authorities. To help you on your way, here's a final example of how the Sun Corporation is undermining traditional family values: