Slashdot Mirror


OMG BARBIE LINUX LOL!!1!!!!

tini1212 writes "LIKE OMG!! Have you guyz seen Barbie Linux!!??!?!?!? It's like totally cool! It's open source too!!! We can spend long nights patching the kernel, and look at pictures of that total hottie, Linus Torvalds!" From the site: "Making a bid for a piece of the emerging desktop Linux market, Mattel, Inc. announced the immediate availability of downloadable beta ISOs for BarbieOS 0.99, and said it hoped the final 1.0 retail version would be on store shelves in time for Christmas. The new OS was created by Mattel to power the upcoming revision of its popular B-Book line of laptops for girls between the ages of four and eleven. The original B-Book laptop, which ran a modified version of PalmOS, was a huge hit with consumers last holiday season, so much so that many stores had trouble keeping them in stock."

124 comments

  1. april fools jokes like these aren't funny anymore by Squeezer · · Score: 4, Insightful

    thankfully the day is almost over and we can get over the 20th lame april 1st story on slashdot

    --
    Does the name Pavlov ring a bell?
  2. Barbie suxors, gimme Hello Kitty Linux!!!!!!!! by RocketRainbow · · Score: 3, Insightful

    How come with all this cuteness you guys still aren't celebrating the cutest thing of all, Hello Kitty?

    Is the pink going to go away when April Fools Day wears off in all time zones? Because I'm really enjoying this pink. It's so much better than that silly green was!

    I hate barbie.

    --
    *#*#*#*#*#******* I love peanut butter sandwiches!
    1. Re:Barbie suxors, gimme Hello Kitty Linux!!!!!!!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      We've already celebrated Hello Kitty:

      http://www.exonome.com/fj/phkl/

    2. Re:Barbie suxors, gimme Hello Kitty Linux!!!!!!!! by isny · · Score: 5, Informative

      That would be the perfect distro for this laptop.

    3. Re:Barbie suxors, gimme Hello Kitty Linux!!!!!!!! by quadra23 · · Score: 1

      How come with all this cuteness you guys still aren't celebrating the cutest thing of all, Hello Kitty?

      Is the pink going to go away when April Fools Day wears off in all time zones? Because I'm really enjoying this pink. It's so much better than that silly green was!


      You should have been smart like me and taken a screenshot picture so you could remember for a good long time that one April 1st when Slashdot main site was entirely pink. Obviously its not going to be that way for ever, preserve the weird April 1st feeling for a long time to come. With an image viewer I can see "Hello Kitty" anytime of day. BTW, at time of this posting, my time zone is still April 1st.

    4. Re:Barbie suxors, gimme Hello Kitty Linux!!!!!!!! by shellbeach · · Score: 1

      How come with all this cuteness you guys still aren't celebrating the cutest thing of all, Hello Kitty?

      Yeah, Hello Kitty's definitely got my vote ...

    5. Re:Barbie suxors, gimme Hello Kitty Linux!!!!!!!! by dynamo52 · · Score: 1

      You know, there are css tools in firefox that will allow you to view it that way all the time if you like.

      --
      Like this comment? I accept Bitcoin! - 153sc8UUBXyp12ofQqfAWDmJrzyiKCYC1x
  3. KenLinux by ioudas · · Score: 3, Funny

    Anyone in the know uses Ken Linux. You can start malibuhouse daemon and sportscar daemon.

    --
    http://www.cushingproductions.com
    1. Re:KenLinux by jdray · · Score: 5, Funny

      In related news, the virtualization system known as "Ken" offers a secure way to run BarbieOS. From TFA, "A hardened Ken kernel can support multiple instances of Barbie software running on top of it. When enough cache is available, swapping is very efficient, and several Barbies can happily cohabitate, though package management can be tricky. A warning, though: reduced cache availability significanly hampers Ken's ability to maintain Barbie instances."

      --
      The Spoon
      Updated 6/28/2011
    2. Re:KenLinux by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      The last time I tried using Ken to mount Barbie, everything froze up. Ken's just not ready for release yet.

    3. Re:KenLinux by Whiteox · · Score: 1

      Did you know that Ken and Barbie never got married?

      Take the quiz and find out other useful information! http://www.quizland.com/barbie-dolls.mv
      (Don't forget to do the quiz with the music option ON!)

      --
      Don't be apathetic. Procrastinate!
    4. Re:KenLinux by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Didnt BarbieOS acquire them in a court case?

  4. The internet is worthless on April 1st by Jackie_Chan_Fan · · Score: 1, Redundant

    (C) me 2006

    1. Re:The internet is worthless on April 1st by Gli7ch · · Score: 0

      The internet is useless pretty much all the time dude, it's just no one here has anything better to do.

  5. Argh! by Draegonis · · Score: 3, Insightful

    This is scarily almost believable. :(

    1. Re:Argh! by adinb · · Score: 1

      Not to get all serious on this story, but there's no reason that one of the embedded linux distros wouldn't work really well for one of these toys. My wife and I are currently fostering a 5yo girl and would love to have an option of a Barbie-branded toy that's somewhere in between the current barbie toy and a real lowend laptop.

      --
      Moderation is for Monks!
  6. SHwEEEEEEETT!!!!1!!!1!!111 by 1110110001 · · Score: 0, Redundant

    OMG 1T'S L1K3 A G1RLFR13ND - BUT MUCH CUT3RRRRR !!1111!!!!1 LOLOLOLOLOOOL

    & btw 1st p0st111!! L000L

    Lameness filter encountered. Post aborted! S t3h SUXXX0RRR

    1. Re:SHwEEEEEEETT!!!!1!!!1!!111 by Tablizer · · Score: 1

      OMG 1T'S L1K3 A G1RLFR13ND - BUT MUCH CUT3RRRRR

      Not one that any of us will get

  7. lol little girl :P by themysteryman73 · · Score: 2, Funny

    hahahaha I can see a little girl installing Linux on her hardcore pimped up new PC (which she just built). :P

    1. Re:lol little girl :P by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    2. Re:lol little girl :P by bar-agent · · Score: 1
      --
      i'd hit it so hard, if you pulled me out you'd be the king of britain [bash.org]
    3. Re:lol little girl :P by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Teaching a little girl to _mount_ Samba shares? Now that's just _wrong_.

    4. Re:lol little girl :P by kesuki · · Score: 1

      the funny thing though is that the barbie B-book is real, although it normally seems to carry a pricetag around $75.. and is generally modled as a 'children's learning toy' the april fools here is that somehow matell has decided that using a via c3 processor setup and debian linux will somehow produce a usable b-book environment (and price point) by the christmas holiday season.

      Considering that they'd been using Oregon Scientific devices previously (which are all Z-80 based BTW) It's pretty far fetched to expect them to suddendly switch from the Z-80 over to something like a C3 overnight. I'm not sure where the whole palm reference comes from, As the Barbie B-book has never run Palm os It's always been a simple Z-80 based computer... designed for kids to learn and play with barbie.

      Perhaps This christmas they were going to update the b-book line from the Z-80 class chips to something palm had convinced them to buy? I can't seem to find any press releases related to that though.

      or are even the april fools jokes written by complete computer illiterates who don't understand that the B-book has always been running on Z-80 deriviative hardware?

  8. Hey... by KodeK · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...at least it's not a dupe :-)

    1. Re:Hey... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This story is years old. It must be a dupe surely.

      If they are using bad jokes on Aprils fools, the least they can do is not use old ones.

  9. Barbie runs on P-P-P-Powerbook now too! by saskboy · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    It's like Totally awesome. I like saw this girl and she's off the hook! She's got a new P-P-P-Powerbook and it like runs Linux and it only cost shipping it was like totally free!

    --
    Saskboy's blog is good. 9 out of 10 dentists agree.
  10. JESUS FUCKING CHRIST by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Enough of the dumb shit. None of this is funny, cute nor readable.

    Hang it up and let's get back to something that isn't moronic.

  11. Please! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    make.. it.. stop.

    Is mental retardation the latest craze or am I missing something else here?

    Everywhere else you get a nice chuckle about a witty april fools joke. But not so on Slashdot, where pain and the urge to make this day end overshadow even the least funny story.

    Hint: it's not funny, dumbasses.

  12. WHAT IF by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0


    They put this much effort into preventing dupe stories...

  13. Definition of April's fool by PietjeJantje · · Score: 1

    Looking at the net today, it can be changed to: IT-folks and webmasters not trying to fool you, but trying to be funny.
    Up next: Jerry Seinfeld making webpages.
    I have to admit though, this one was quite good.

    1. Re:Definition of April's fool by RobertLTux · · Score: 1

      the buig problem with the "p0wnies" crowd lusting after Mr torvaulds is if any serious "issues" came up then Mrs Torvaulds would rip the person in question in half. "ladies" he has 2? kids and a wife that was at one time a martial arts champion. so look but don't touch

      --
      Any person using FTFY or editing my postings agrees to a US$50.00 charge
  14. Hardware recognition by Kuku_monroe · · Score: 0

    Apparently the hardware recognition won't be that hard just because theres not really a lot of barbie computers out there..

    --
    //WR
  15. I know it's a joke but... by kernelpanicked · · Score: 0, Redundant

    you guys did know about this right? http://www.divisiontwo.com/articles/barbieOS.htm

    --
    Ubuntu: If at first you don't succeed, blindly slap a sudo in front of it
    1. Re:I know it's a joke but... by AddressException · · Score: 1

      you guys did know about this right? http://www.divisiontwo.com/articles/barbieOS.htm

      Ummm, that's the (unfunny and ancient) article linked to in this (unfunny and banal) story.

    2. Re:I know it's a joke but... by n0d3 · · Score: 1

      Since you posted this on sunday allready (atleast in this timezone) It can't be a joke anymore (your post). You do realize you are posting the same link as the post did right? ... k .. just making sure.

    3. Re:I know it's a joke but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      just got in on monday and was thinking that myself. and there's the little fact that it just wasn't/isn't funny anyway. it's times like these i wish i had a remote-controlled tumbleweed to drive at people...

  16. more eyecandy! by doktorstop · · Score: 1

    Best story of the day, IMHO. The question is, can you strip here.. of the source code, of course!

    --
    http://www.automatiq.se
  17. Re:Nerds by Thnikkaman · · Score: 4, Funny

    I think we all know that "patching the kernel" of your girlfriend can mean only one thing... your girlfriend is a robot running a modified linux distro as her OS. Nice job, man. Where can I download the iso?

  18. jesus christ by PeelBoy · · Score: 0, Troll

    Atleast attempt to make a good april fools day joke this is fucking pathetic.

    This wouldn't have even been considered funny or good 15 fucking years ago.

    Slashdot SUCKS on april 1st.

    Hey next year on April 1st you guys should not post ANY April Fools posts *at all*.. now that would be classic.. We wouldn't know what to believe.. It would be chaos.

    Now that would be the best april fools day joke EVAR LOL ROFL OMG I SUX!!!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!! AHSARHLKJSFDLJLS!!!!!!HAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH HHHHHAAAAAAAAAA STUP1D!!!!!!!!!!!

    fucking retards.

    Jesus I can't even make a single post with half as many !'s as yo guys used with out it telling me to use less junk characters.

    Seriously guys that shit was fun to make fun of like 10 years ago enough is enough

    1. Re:jesus christ by MobileTatsu-NJG · · Score: 1

      "Slashdot SUCKS on april 1st."

      This has been true for years. Seriously, every single fucking year, blah blah blah SLashdot sucks on April 1st. I don't know why you guys are so dependent on this site.

      --

      "I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)

    2. Re:jesus christ by PeelBoy · · Score: 2, Interesting

      As much as the site pisses me off I do like it for the most part.

      The April 1st thing has been getting worse and worse every year.

      When I first started reading the site they would do just a hand full of jokes, no pink site, no LOL's and no !!!!!!!!!!!!!'s

      The jokes had a lot more brain power behind them and half the time the involved more than 1 site to make them seem more real.

      These days the jokes are more and more forced. It seems like the staff doesn't even want to do them.. Like they HAVE to do them.. So they just go make a bunch of half assed forced jokes knowing how bad they suck just so their managers don't fire them for not doing April 1st jokes.

      I just can't stand the fact that I can't read pretty much all of my favorite sites on this day. I know everything that gets posted is bull shit. I don't even have to use my brain to figure it out. There aren't real posts mixed in with the fake ones. It's all fake. It's all brainless fake stuff.

      I want to use my brain. I want to forget that it was April 1st and be completely fooled by a joke or have to use my brain to figure it out.

      Seriously. Is this site "news for nerds" or "news for myspace users"

      (I think I over used the word brain, but fuck it I'm drunk and I don't feel like fixing it)

    3. Re:jesus christ by Tezkah · · Score: 1

      This wouldn't have even been considered funny or good 15 fucking years ago.

      are you insinuating that things were funnier in the early 90s than they are today?

      Oh man! The 18th Century would find your joke HIGH-LARIOUS!!!1

      "Fred, that hasn't been funny since the 1st century!!!"

    4. Re:jesus christ by MobileTatsu-NJG · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Honestly man, if they start extending past April 1st, I can totally sympathize. But I learned ages ago that April 1st is a writeoff for Slashdot. For that matter, just about any other news site as well. In the 3D Art Community I'm active in, there's all kinds of BS stories flying around. From my point of view, it's easier to just smile and avoid news that day than it is to get worked up about it.

      Don't get me wrong, I understand your frustration, but by tomorrow, it's over. No biggie.

      --

      "I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)

  19. common... by etzel · · Score: 1

    Get on with your lives. It wasn't that to begin with. let me know when the OMG BS is over...

    --
    "It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it."
  20. OMG PONIES!!!!!111111 by brenddie · · Score: 0

    the original OMG PONIES SITE: (first result from google search : OMG PONIES)
    http://www.furnation.com/felissa/ponies/bikers.htm l
    http://www.furnation.com/felissa/ponies/
    that was before today's pinkdot
    I wonder wich /. post will be the new OMG PONIES king

    --
    The best test environment is production. - Me
    chrome://browser/content/browser.xul
  21. Re:april fools jokes like these aren't funny anymo by ampmouse · · Score: 1, Informative

    Yeay! It's Over! No more April Fools!

    Mod this up informative! Wait, That s over too. Darn.

  22. Barbie Linux by tonsofpcs · · Score: 1

    OMG! But does it have ponies? Maybe even a barbie dream house! OMG! Barbie Dream House with Ponies!!!!!1111!!!

  23. Conspiracy Theory: I know whats up by Toxicgonzo · · Score: 4, Funny

    After seeing all these strange articles, I have come to the conclusion that these are not April Fools jokes. A real slashdot april fools joke would have been witty and subtle. It is obvious that someone is using CmdrTaco/Zonk to spread their OMG Pony/ Barbie propaganda. Probably communists.

    If you are reading this CmdrTaco/Zonk, message for help by making the first letter of each word of the title of the next article spell out "SOS". Be discreet about it so that your caputures remain unaware. We will send the A-Team immediately.

  24. So Old! by dmbtech · · Score: 1, Interesting

    That april fools page was made a long time ago, must be in 2004 or 2004. It still uses terms such as lindows. Also, that was a lot of effort, pictures and text for one april fools jokes. Usually there just short and to the point.

  25. Talk about... by LordSnooty · · Score: 0, Redundant

    ...hammering a joke into the wall until it's flat. Sheesh!

  26. Man by thealsir · · Score: 0

    slashdot is lamed out today. this needs to stop LIKE TOTALLY NEEDS TO STOP OMGz LOL!!11...ok I'll stop

    --
    Do not downmod posts "overrated" simply because you disagree with them.
  27. OMG!!! NO PONIES!!! by Limburgher · · Score: 1

    After a day of pink, the green looks jarring.

    --

    You are not the customer.

    1. Re:OMG!!! NO PONIES!!! by LiquidCoooled · · Score: 1

      I haven't wanted to hug my monitor quite as much as I want to right now.

      Thank god, the wounds will heal.

      --
      liqbase :: faster than paper
  28. ENOUGH! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Please ZONK!!! Enough already! Quit the lameness....

  29. Who hit the site with the ugly-stick? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Where is my pink?! I want the pink back!

  30. Re:april fools jokes like these aren't funny anymo by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    A-@#(*&-men. This is getting ridiculous and STUPID.

  31. what the hell by PeelBoy · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The whole point of april fools day is to try to TRICK people..you know... with GOOD jokes and tricks..

    What the hell is the point of this shit on slashdot? It's not good, nobody believes it, it's not funny, and it's painful to read. It's fucking pointless. Nobody likes it.

    Seriously use your freaking brains. They are there for a reason. Think of something good. Try to trick us. When 90% of the posts are bull shit we know not to believe any of it. Tone it down some. Make 1 or 2 posts that are jokes and make them seem real. That's the way to do it. That's how you guys did it back in the old days. What's up with this over the top CRAP?!

    It's not even fucking funny, it doesn't trick anybody, nobody believes it. In other words it's completely pointless and it completely defeats the purpose of April Fools Day.

    And yes I know I typoed a lot of shit, and I don't care.

    Oh and you mods can shove it. I see you going around modding everybody redundant and troll.. Well eventually you're going to run out of mod points and then what?!?! exactly. Not a damn thing.

    I bet you're an employee whose mad that we don't like you're STUPID jokes. So much for you running out of mod points you probably have a fucking zillion of them or you got some kind of exempt flag set in the database huh?

    1. Re:what the hell by PeelBoy · · Score: 1

      you're=your (the only typo i care to fix because it drives me up a tree when I re-read it)

    2. Re:what the hell by nukey.nl · · Score: 1

      Are you saying there really is no Barbie Linux ? :-( :-(
      I WANT MY BARBIE LINUX !!! .. or a Pony

    3. Re:what the hell by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Do you know what "background noise" is?
      Look: ./ published lotsa BS stories to create noise in its page, and some tricky news stirred in it, just to confuse the reader even more.
      They've just added a layer to the April Fools tricks.

      Can anybody expect anything different?

    4. re:what the hell by dueyfinster · · Score: 1

      I totally agree, I just used my account for the first time in a year to try turn off the pink shit, I was bemused, couldn't find it (In Prefs?)..........so I had to leave until it went back to normal. Arrrgh! Not the quality I expect!

      --
      --- Duey Finster http://www.dueyfinster.com
    5. Re:what the hell by Queer+Boy · · Score: 1

      Well, the Barbie Linux thing may be a hoax, but the Barbie B-Book is real. Although it looks pretty lame. I mean, I dunno how much it costs (it's not for sale in North America) but aren't Zire's like $50?

      --
      Not since Marie-Antoinette played milkmaid has looking simple and honest been so fake and complicated.
    6. Re:what the hell by bill_mcgonigle · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Imagine how many good April Fools stories were rejected for this shite.

      --
      My God, it's Full of Source!
      OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
    7. Re:what the hell by araphwael · · Score: 2, Informative

      My wife absolutely believed the My Little Pony d20 story when I read her the article. She was very disappointed when she learned the truth.

    8. Re:what the hell by techno-vampire · · Score: 1

      Of course there's no Barbie Linux. Didn't you know, Hacker Barbie says, "Compiling kernals is hard."

      --
      Good, inexpensive web hosting
    9. Re:what the hell by Tablizer · · Score: 2, Insightful

      The whole point of april fools day is to try to TRICK people..you know... with GOOD jokes and tricks..

      Something that sounds ridiculus yet plausible make the best stories. For example, I woke up hoping to see, "Pair Programming Spreads Bird Flu".

    10. Re:what the hell by mblase · · Score: 5, Insightful

      The whole point of april fools day is to try to TRICK people..you know... with GOOD jokes and tricks..What the hell is the point of this shit on slashdot?

      Well, you see, since everyone who reads /. is prepared on Apr. 1 for a bunch of outlandish stories, nobody falls for them anymore. So we may as well be ridiculous instead.

    11. Re:what the hell by bidule · · Score: 2, Interesting


      Reverse logic. Actually one of the story today was true, but I'm not telling which one.

      --
      ID: the nose did not occur naturally, how would we wear glasses otherwise? (apologies to Voltaire)
  32. Now that's funny by tehlinux · · Score: 1

    " Barbie Wizards guide girls through the process of partitioning their disks, formatting volumes, mounting Samba shares, and installing packages."

    --
    Most linux users don't know this, but the man pages were named after Chuck Norris. Chuck Norris fsck'ing hates noobs!
  33. Re:april fools jokes like these aren't funny anymo by nomadic · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Then we can go back to the usual, REAL, lame stories.

  34. can this be ported ? by chuby · · Score: 0

    I have been running my inflable doll on DOS, but when I try to use the bluetooth to transfer the pictures taken with the vaginal cam to my desktop I always get errors, I tought that if barbie linux os could be ported to be used on inflable doll hardware, that would stop the problem. I have heard rumors that there's a Beta kernel that is being used only by linus, but he has not released it yet, according to those rummors that kernel, allows the nipple irda, to control tivo and direct tv.

  35. Ahem by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    That's GNU/Barbie Linux to you.

  36. OMFG!!11 by bmecoli · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    wut hapend to my pink and my ponees!? DX

  37. Not even close by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Nerds aren't funny. Give up before you hurt yourself.

  38. Google News by imemyself · · Score: 2, Funny

    I have a Google customized news page with one section on news related to Linux. Believe it or not, this /. article actually made it there. Nice to know Google is good at filtering out BS.

    --
    Every time you post an article on Slashdot, I kill a server. Think of the servers!
  39. OMG PONIES AGAIN! by m0u5y · · Score: 1

    OMGODZORS! WHAT'S UP WITH caps lock got stuk THE CUTE PONIIIIIZ whats yelling howd everyon else get aorund the caps thingy? AAAAAAAAAHOAHAOI LOOOLZORZ LOOK WUT AHAYAVE DONE TOOTEEEE MEEEEE/????!!!_!_! OOAAOA

  40. Re:Nerds by Nintendork · · Score: 4, Insightful
    While you nerds are busy with barbie, I'm going to be patching the kernel of my girlfriend....if you know what I mean. Oh that's right, it's slashdork you probably don't know what I mean.

    Spoken like a true adolescent/young adult trying to find a balance between the geek within and the perceived need to gain the acceptance of those he believes to be his peers. Poor guy.

  41. Like.. by missjackie · · Score: 0

    Like, oh me gawd, Becky. Look at her butt. It is like, so big! Like, oh me gawd! On another note, Barbie Linux would totally teach young girls the ways of the computer. Like, so totally.

  42. so is there a Linux specifically for children ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0


    early learning etc ? be nice if such a product existed, for pre-school and kindergarten ages

  43. sacrilege! I am not amused!! by bitt3n · · Score: 2, Funny

    omg I almost broke my pocket protector in rage when I found out I was reading another joke item! When I come to slashdot I am all about serious news and I have no time for these petty jocularities. Please desist from abusing my vauned intellect, whose cycles should be better used pondering more weighty matters, such as how many joystick ports will come on the PS3!! /poneys etc.

  44. Re:april fools jokes like these aren't funny anymo by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Except this is for real.
    Remember the Barbie PC and Hot Wheels PC in 2000?

    I have a friend that works at Mattel and this will be the real deal.

  45. Where is Beatles Beatles when you need him? by pr0digy25 · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    OMG = Outlaw Motorcycle Gang!

  46. April fools? by isny · · Score: 2, Interesting

    You know, this isn't really a bad idea. If this OS existed, I would be considering it for my daughter. This is exactly what KDE Plasma developers should be thinking for usability.

    1. Re:April fools? by GeeBee · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I was thinking the same thing. As a tech aware woman, I'd like to see things like that that engage young girls in technology. Some would say that the is dumbing it down for girls, but if it helps them feel comfortable with and enjoy computers, as well as make them feel that they belong in technological pursuits, I'm all for it.

    2. Re:April fools? by protovirus · · Score: 1

      I agree completely and was sad to learn this was an April Fools... thing. What has happened to you Linux geeks? All the time and effort spent on countless Linux distros... Open Source Barbie would be far from the least original or worst thing to happen to Linux. Perhaps the infamous GPL would make it all the way back to the base product eventually even freeing Barbie from her seemingly eternal state of commercial prostitution.

      No one even thought to crack an Open Sores Barbie joke?
      (I couldn't resist.. sorry..)

    3. Re:April fools? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      yes exactly that's it. Maybe it's even an incentive for developers to build up such thing.

  47. Methaqualone by Infonaut · · Score: 1

    Try it, you'll like it.

    --
    Read the EFF's Fair Use FAQ
  48. |_|4 != 31337 by sabat · · Score: 1

    This set of 'pranks' is the most uninspired yet. Nice going, buttmunches.

    --
    I, for one, welcome our new Antichrist overlord.
  49. 'Open Source' Barbie, huh? by solitas · · Score: 1

    Does Ken know about this? (woo hoo!)

    --
    "It's time to take life by the cans." ~ Bender ("Bendin' in the Wind", ep. 3-13)
  50. Re:april fools jokes like these aren't funny anymo by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You sound a little bitter. Are you disappointed that the B-Book isn't real? I know I am...It would be a great way to keep my daughters safe from MS Mind-Control(tm).

  51. OMFG, I *so* want one of those... by mellon · · Score: 1

    ...ping and waybitchen fucsia keyboards! That would so rock my world! I wonder if it's USB compatible?!??!!!111 :')

    1. Re:OMFG, I *so* want one of those... by mellon · · Score: 1

      Pink. Spelling is Hard.

  52. NOT News: This is old by cel4145 · · Score: 3, Informative

    This is a few years old???? Can's Slashdot get new, original content?

    1. Re:NOT News: This is old by joe+coffee · · Score: 1

      Yep it is old news. I also ran across this while doing some research on the JUICEBOX product that contained uClinux.

    2. Re:NOT News: This is old by shawn_f · · Score: 1

      It is news to me...strange how that works. Sometimes it fun to bring back some of this stuff. I think some people take it (unique news) gathering too seriously. Why don't you try digg if you don't like it? At least there can be a wee bit more intelligence here.

      Geez...

    3. Re:NOT News: This is old by mattwarden · · Score: 1
  53. Some of us are at work... by jpowell180 · · Score: 1

    Doggone it!!! I work weekends, and during my morning preshift (10 mins to boot up & bring up the apps), I try to do some cursory surfing, which includes Slashdot, and IT'S FREAKIN' PINK!!!! I had to go straight to Digg for fear that my co-workers would see my screen and think I was surfin' some Holly-Hobbie-Strawberry-Shortcake site or something!!!!

    1. Re:Some of us are at work... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Don't you think that's just sad that you are afraid your coworkers would -on April 1st moreover- see you browsing a site in pink? A site that, when it's green, you otherwise have no problem with?

  54. Well... by PixelScuba · · Score: 2, Funny

    At least Linux will finally have a user interface that is intuitive to the average computer user.

    1. Re:Well... by tbone1 · · Score: 1
      At least Linux will finally have a user interface that is intuitive to the average computer user.
      And it would still look better than XP or KDE/Gnome, said the unabashed OS X Aqua snob.

      --

      The Independent: Reverend Spooner Arrested in Friar Tuck Incident - ISIHAC, Historical Headlines
  55. Commenters got us! by Sir+Holo · · Score: 1


    You tricky commenters!

    I like how all of the commenters were pretending to be annoyed. That was really funny. For a while there I thought they really were annoyed. Ha ha you all, the joke is on me! Good one!

    1. Re:Commenters got us! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      haha that was funny
      i'm strangely attracted to you

  56. You all suck by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Everybody who bothered to post about how lame everything was getting on april 1st is going to "grow up" to be a seriously, seriously grumpy old man (or woman) who nobody ever wants to be around.

    I for one thought the BarbieOS one was particularly funny...

  57. Re:One wonders by symbolic · · Score: 1

    I wonder how many of those complaining could come up with something better....

    I guess another deficit that some geeks share is a sense of humor!

  58. Tux and Barbie by warbirdnut · · Score: 2, Funny

    So did Barbie dump Ken for Tux? Ken is such a luser.. Oh wait... Tux has a girlfriend.

  59. OLD AND REHASHED by joe+coffee · · Score: 1

    This can be also found here http://board.iexbeta.com/index.php?showtopic=31202 Note the date and there is a link to the same site that slashdot has. Come up with some new stuff not rehashed blab. Although still funny.

  60. Re:april fools jokes like these aren't funny anymo by laa · · Score: 2, Funny

    Whaddoyoumean? I think it's hilarious and besides, who needs proper news on a weekend anyway. Excellent hangover reading, IMHO. By the way, slashcrew, when do we get the pink skin as an option for us weirdoes? It kind of grew on me.

    --
    Why does the kernel go through stable and then unstable forks? Can't it always be a stable build, like with Windows?
  61. barbie vs bill ? by sdnoob · · Score: 1

    this is from a few years ago... http://www.mslinux.org/

  62. The barbieOS... by JollyFinn · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Well if it weren't reasonable to assume this could be aprils fools. This would be something I'd expect to happen at some time.
    Most girls seems to like linux small games. And don't like the kind of big large budget windows games. Atleast those who tried what I had on my computer. Other things that they seem to do with computers, is IRC, IM &WEB surfing, and writing school essays, and wathing movies, and listening to music.
    The movie playing part maybe only weakness of linux [getting past some DRM to play the thing], but if its stable in sence that they don't have to do anything and it just works then there is no reason that there couldn't be such distribution aimed at girls.

    --
    Emacs is good operating system, but it has one flaw: Its text editor could be better.
    1. Re:The barbieOS... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes! I agree with you. This actually seems like a good idea to me. A good, simple and clean-designed OS.

      If they'ld make it, indeed the young girls would use it. Thus creating hordes of new Linux-addicts. Or, ...

      It could be a good tactic for MS: License the OS to Mattel, make them a customized Windows version, and have Mattel sell it. They could claim they no longer have a "monopoly" in Windows.

  63. Red Spread by SuperKendall · · Score: 1

    After seeing all these strange articles, I have come to the conclusion that these are not April Fools jokes. A real slashdot april fools joke would have been witty and subtle. It is obvious that someone is using CmdrTaco/Zonk to spread their OMG Pony/ Barbie propaganda. Probably communists.

    Yes, only instead of the Red Spread we get the Pink Stink.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
  64. Re:april fools jokes like these aren't funny anymo by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I suppose at least one of the many brainiacs on this site bothered to look here: http://www2.oregonscientific.com/shop/youth.asp

  65. Re:Nerds by ddimas · · Score: 2, Funny
    While you nerds are busy with barbie, I'm going to be patching the kernel of my girlfriend....if you know what I mean. Oh that's right, it's slashdork you probably don't know what I mean.

    Since patching a kernal involves placing statements so as to produce a desired outcome I would venture the following as a guess:

    "Aw, c'mon Sweetie! It was just a joke! Please Honey, OW stop hitting me, OW!" ...

  66. So mix in some bizarre but *true* stories by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    So mix in some bizarre but *true* stories, to keep everyone unsure.

  67. not true? caused my 9 year old daughter to cry by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    My daughter thought it was real and was excited. When she heard it was an April Fools Day joke, she cried. Mean, Nasty /.

  68. April Fools by tubs · · Score: 1

    The whole idea is to fool people. But now it's to pretend to fool people.

    Putting LOL!!!!! and OMG!!!!! in the story automaticcalyy says "This is an April fool, but we're telling you so you are not fooled. Because you all complain when you are, and we don't want to casue you offence"

    --

    try to make ends meet, you're a slave to money, then you die

    1. Re:April Fools by MobileTatsu-NJG · · Score: 1

      "The whole idea is to fool people. But now it's to pretend to fool people."

      It wasn't funny. BFD. News Flash: Slashdot has historically been monumentally un-funny on April 1st.

      --

      "I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)

    2. Re:April Fools by PeelBoy · · Score: 1

      Look a little further back. When they first started doing this they had some stories that fooled damn near everybody. (Jokes/stories that spaned across all major linux sites because they worked in conjunction with each other and came up with good stuff)

      The problem is that it's gotten worse and worse every year since then. I can remember maybe a few years where the jokes were actually quite good, but the past 4 or 5 years have stunk. This year seemed the worst to me.

      You're right that I could just avoid reading the site on April 1st, which is basically what I do.

      If the jokes were as good as they use to be I wouldn't have to avoid reading the site though.

      I mean what's the point of scaring off all of your readers? That's stupid. If everybody avoids reading your site for the day you're doing something wrong.

  69. Re:april fools jokes like these aren't funny anymo by Ilgaz · · Score: 1

    I hope CmdrTaco will cover your losses since you must have lost very critical, up to date information on "Slashdot Information Site" because of this very unserious story.

    How dare they post such a thing on a serious, mission critical information site such as Slashdot on April 2?

    I bet your lawyers will call "Mr. Zonk" soon!