BIG BOOBS banished from Linux kernel
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Microsoft has ‘fessed up to inserting the hexadecimal string “0xB16B00B5” in the Linux kernel.
Redmond has hung its head in shame because, once you remove the initial zero and x, then squint at the remainder in just the right way, the result is the term “BIG BOOBS”. The offending string is no mere frippery: it is apparently pressed into service whenever Hyper-V virtualises Linux.
Microsoft apologised to everyone in the known universe for the offense caused (in Network World), saying it is an “offensive string” and that it has “submitted a patch to fix this issue”.
The presence of the string seems to have been noted way back in May 2011 in this spinics.net page, which Wikipedia lists on its page about Hexspeak.
But the presence of the puerile string came to light again on July 13th, when a thread on the Linux Kernel Mailing List that included a comment from a poster named Paolo Bonzini, who mentioned the string again.
That set the snowball rolling and we have since seen the usual mix of outrage, counter-outrage, scorn and “how-will-we-ever-get-women-working-in-IT-if-we-carry-on-like-this-ism”.
The Reg expects the furore will eventually result in Microsoft and everyone who contributes to the Linux kernel promising to rid the industry of sexism forever by swearing on a stack of documentation and an icon of Linus Torvalds that they will never again type 58008618 into a calculator and then turn it upside down.
The “incident” is the latest in a string of Scandinavia-centric tech sexism scandals. The first saw Dell hire a standup comedian who made inappropriate comments at an event. Microsoft also slapped itself down for proclaiming its sizable virility in song in Norway. ®
Boobnote
Ex-Boyzone warbler Brian McFadden could be the next to be censured for naughtiness, if this tweet gets a wider airing.
COMMENTS
Who the hell cares?
It's hexadecimal, not English.
Microsoft is actually going to patch it? The mind boggles ... Grow up, people.
Re: Bill Gates is obviously Guilty
@TeeCee
"Incidently, the vast majority of rapes are reported "retrospectively""
Stranegely enough, the vast majority of any crime tend to be reported retrospectively. At best, you can report it as it happens, but that assumes the offence goes on for some time, so normally an offence is only reported AFTER it has happened, therefore retrospectively. Rape is no different to most others in this respect.
It's not people like him that make rape one of the least reported and prosecuted crimes. It is in the nature of the beast. Many rapes come down to one persons word against another. There are very often no witnesses etc. Therefore, it is unprosecutable unless there is physical evidence to support one sides story over another. In other words, it's in the nature of the crime.
It's interesting that you also show you believe rape only applies to women by instantly responding with 'she's obviously lying' etc. Rape applies to both sexes equally, whether between a man and a woman or two people of the same sex. It is believed that male rape is actually reported and prosecuted even less than female rape for a whole variety of reasons, including male pride. Of course, male rape is rarely mentioned as rape is all about women right??
It's interesting that you say you'll make your mind up about Assange once he's been through a court of law, but then say you're leaning towards 'guilty as sin'!! Doesn't exactly show an open mind does it.
Re: Who the hell cares?
"...saying it is an “offensive string”...."
Errr... no it isn't. Obviously, some people just don't have enough to do.
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