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Microsoft Edits English

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the thats-pretty-funny dept.

jbarr writes "An article in the 23-Oct-2000 issue of the New York Times (free reg blah blah blah) talks about how Microsoft has eliminated words from its thesaurus so as to "not suggest words that may have offensive uses or provide offensive definitions for any words". Entering a word like "idiot" yields no hits in Word 2000 unlike the numerous hits in Word 97." I don't think there's anything evil here, but it sure is funny.

5 of 656 comments (clear)

  1. 1984 Anyone? by Pilchie · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Nothing evil here. Have you ever read 1984?

    Restricting language is _very_ evil.

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    Pilchie
    1. Re:1984 Anyone? by bungalow · · Score: 5, Funny

      No big brother here. Move along...

      Thanks for your comforting words. However, you're an idiot.

      What's an idiot?

  2. We're idiots by OblongPlatypus · · Score: 5, Funny

    From an unedited thesaurus:

    Idiot [noun]: ass, fool, imbecile, jackass, mooncalf, moron, nincompoop, ninny, nitwit, simple, simpleton, softhead, tomfool. Informal: dope, gander, goose. Slang: cretin, ding-dong, dip, goof, jerk, nerd, schmo, schmuck, turkey

    Slashdot: News for Idiots. Stuff that matters.

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  3. and ...? by Mr_Silver · · Score: 5, Funny

    So what? Americans have been editing the English language for centuries now! :)

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  4. Editing English by bgarcia · · Score: 5, Funny
    Microsoft Edits English
    Just be glad that CmdrTaco doesn't have that sort of power.
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