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Xbox Live Disallows Linux, Unix As Keywords

shafty023 writes "The Xbox Live online service disallows screen names like LINUXRULES, L I N U X, and other variations of these kinds. Other bloggers are reporting that variants of 'Unix' also result in the message: 'Your motto contains inappropriate language. Please try again.'" If this is an extension of Microsoft's anti-Linux campaign, perhaps it's time they gave it up.

281 comments

  1. Maybe not completely anti-linux. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Words like Microsoft aren't allowed either. It hard to say what they are going for here. Maybe preventing smack-talk too.

    1. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by hc5duke · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I would guess "Microsoft" is banned to prevent phishing scams where someone pretends to be from MS

    2. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by Scottoest · · Score: 4, Insightful

      As I already replied in this news post, I think they try to prevent any trademarked terms from being used in Gamertags.

      This is another non-story, as is the case with most of kdawson's Microsoft related posts.

      - Scott

    3. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by El+Lobo · · Score: 1, Funny

      I have tried: Windows, OS2, BeOS, OSX... All disallowed words. Next thing I'll try: kdawson, maybe I'll get the response: "No trolls allowed". Gezz that guy (ktrollson) really needs help.

      --
      It's time to realise that Abble's products are the biggest abomination these days. Just say NO to the dumb iAbble way!!
    4. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by VENONA · · Score: 1

      WTF? I don't see a reference to kdawson. Not the submitter, and not a poster or respondent. Is this something where you have to hang out here daily in order to get it? Part of me wants to know how to judge the quality of any poster's efforts, but most of me wonders if assuming specific knowledge of a poster's biases (and I have my own, as most of us probably do) isn't setting the bar a bit high.

      --
      What you do with a computer does not constitute the whole of computing.
    5. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by Scottoest · · Score: 4, Insightful

      kdawson was the Slashdot editor that posted this story - you can see his name at the top of the page. He has a tendency to post unsubstantiated FUD about Microsoft, which is ridiculous, given the amount of substantiated issues people have with them.

      Seriously - submit a story like "Micro$oft gives babies herpes, says new report", and then have the "report" link go to some drooling teenager speaking in all "leet speak"on the IGN forums, and I predict your story will hit the front page by the top of the hour.

      - Scott

    6. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by nuzak · · Score: 2, Funny

      Posted by kdawson on Tuesday September 04, @04:26PM

      Browsers have this neat ability to search within a page.

      I don't know if there's a single editor here who really is one. The bulk of editors work here is limited to filling in the "from the words-separated-by-dashes dept" field when clicking on the green articles in the firehose. Oh and adding scintillating color text to the end of submissions like like "worth reading".

      --
      Done with slashdot, done with nerds, getting a life.
    7. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      kdawson is the editor who posted this to the main page.

    8. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by UbuntuDupe · · Score: 0, Troll

      OR Microsoft is just admitting that their existence is offensive...

    9. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by nuzak · · Score: 1

      Sigh. Preview would have been nice.

      --
      Done with slashdot, done with nerds, getting a life.
    10. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by hedwards · · Score: 1

      That was my thought when I saw that Unix was also disallowed. If MS is concerned about losing their desktop market to Unix, they are in an amazing amount of trouble already. Even if they are just concerned that Unix might in the foreseeable future represent a threat, they're losing their edge.

      Just seems like this is a more or less honest attempt at avoiding as many future trademark complaints as possible. I don't think that the complaints would be valid, as I'm pretty sure that all but the dumbest people would confuse Un1x the gamer or even Unix the gamer with Unix the OS.

    11. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by VENONA · · Score: 0

      Thanks Scott. I didn't consider the editor, and seldom do. Coincidentally, I took a shot at that them earlier today, which I shouldn't repeat here, out of context. Fair is fair.

      I don't get to read Slashdot as often as I'd like. Time is usually short, so being able to apply a mental kdawson filter is a useful tool.

      --
      What you do with a computer does not constitute the whole of computing.
    12. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by VENONA · · Score: 1

      I was all down on Slashdot editors earlier today in a post to "Scientist Must Pay to Read His Own Paper."

      So I guess I have at least something in common with this kdawson person. OTOH, various replies lead me to believe that applying a mental kdawson filter would be a Good Thing. A random sig spotted today seems appropriate. To paraphrase: You are probably an asshole, and don't know it.

      I should probably filter my own posts.

      --
      What you do with a computer does not constitute the whole of computing.
    13. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by VENONA · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      "I hope your mother gets diarrhea tonight."

      But think of the children!

      --
      What you do with a computer does not constitute the whole of computing.
    14. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by Skillet5151 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I think they try to prevent any trademarked terms from being used in Gamertags. While that makes some sense, it seems pretty worthless to block two (three including Microsoft's own) of the tens of thousands of trademarked names and phrases in the US.

      I doubt it's malicious. Just seems like an oddity to me.
    15. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by fractoid · · Score: 4, Funny

      And 'Linux' is banned to prevent phishing scams where someone pretends to be from Linux.

      ...are you trying to tell me there AREN'T people that stupid out there? On XBox Live?! O_o

      --
      Rampant carbon sequestration destroyed the Dinosaurs' tropical paradise. I'm here to help repair the damage.
    16. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by at_slashdot · · Score: 1

      Linus is a trademark, maybe Microsoft doesn't allow trademarked words (I wonder if there is such a list)

      --
      "It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." -- Prof. Dumbledore
    17. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      I'd say it's more likely that they're attempting to prevent names such as "MicrosoftSucks!"

      I can understand companies doing this, but it says a lot that none have had to in the past.

    18. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by BronsCon · · Score: 4, Funny

      I don't consider them editors, either.

      --
      APK quotes people (including myself) without context and should not be trusted. Just thought you should know.
    19. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by OECD · · Score: 1, Funny

      Is "HaloIsDumbedDownMarathon" allowed? 'Cause that'd be almost worth getting an XBox for.

      --
      One man's -1 Flamebait is another man's +5 Funny.
    20. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by scoot80 · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Hmm, don't you just wish sometimes people's IP addresses were posted when posting as Anonymous.. and then banned for life. If you are going to verbally attack someone like that, grow some balls and post under your real name.

    21. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by tsm_sf · · Score: 1

      Uh, ok "Scoot80". Bet you get a lot of funny looks buying beer.

      --
      Literalism isn't a form of humor, it's you being irritating.
    22. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by Rocketship+Underpant · · Score: 1

      Reminds me of when Yahoo forced me to downgrade my Flickr account to a Yahoo account. Naturally every permutation of ever single handle I've ever used was taken, and nothing with "Yahoo" in it was allowed. I ended up going with a homophonous variant, "yahuuarebastards". :)

      --
      He who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me.
    23. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by RealityMogul · · Score: 3, Funny

      Maybe you could use the services of an editor?

    24. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by WurdBendur · · Score: 2, Funny

      There is a list, but I can't show it to you. That would violate all the trademarks.

      --
      SCISNE? ANUS SIMIAE!
    25. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by scoot80 · · Score: 1

      Yeah, sure "tsm_sf".

    26. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by NickFitz · · Score: 2, Insightful

      ...being able to apply a mental kdawson filter is a useful tool.

      Or you could just change your preferences so you don't see stories posted by him, or any other editors you don't like.

      --
      Using HTML in email is like putting sound effects on your phone calls. Just say <strong>no</strong>.
    27. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by ChetOS.net · · Score: 1

      I didn't read the article, but does it really say that those are the *only* three?

      Probably would block "Google" and "Sony" as well.

      --
      "If God had intended us to walk he would not have invented roller skates." -- Willy Wonka
    28. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by catman · · Score: 2, Funny

      Did anyone tell Linus Torvalds that his parents violated a trademark?

    29. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by Egdiroh · · Score: 1

      I don't hold the editors on a pedestal, and I'm not trying to defend them, but don't you think that it is just a little ironic that you've put nothing in your comment to substantiate your claim that some one else post unsubstantiated claims?

      Also, in my opinion, your second paragraph strays into the realm of FUD itself. Mr. Pot I think thou protests about Mr. Kettle too much.

    30. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm going to ban myself so I don't waste any more time reading posts from teens with nothing to say.

    31. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by itwerx · · Score: 1

      Just seems like this is a more or less honest attempt at avoiding as many future trademark complaints as possible.

      Either that or it's just soundex and "eunuch" is on the naughty word list. :)

    32. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by VENONA · · Score: 1

      I'd forgotten you could do that! Thanks.

      --
      What you do with a computer does not constitute the whole of computing.
    33. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by NickFitz · · Score: 1

      NP :-)

      Out of curiosity, has anybody tried banning all the editors, and if so, what does the homepage look like? Do the left and right sidebars collapse together, or is there a big river of empty space down the middle? (Rushes off to experiment...)

      --
      Using HTML in email is like putting sound effects on your phone calls. Just say <strong>no</strong>.
    34. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by VENONA · · Score: 1

      You're just full of fun ideas. It turns out that you must have a minimum of five sections and four 'authors'. The 'author' label is probably a bug, and should be 'editors'. I'm not a subscriber. YMMV.

      So I couldn't create a sucking vortex of CSS, and will have to look for another means of destroying the world. After work tonight, I'll get right on it.

      --
      What you do with a computer does not constitute the whole of computing.
    35. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by NickFitz · · Score: 1

      :D

      --
      Using HTML in email is like putting sound effects on your phone calls. Just say <strong>no</strong>.
    36. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by aplusjimages · · Score: 1

      I bet this is what it is. Bungie talked about this issue with their call signs for Halo 3 and how they didn't want to get sued.

      --
      Can I bum a sig?
    37. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by nuzak · · Score: 1

      > Is "HaloIsDumbedDownMarathon" allowed? 'Cause that'd be almost worth getting an XBox for.

      Probably too long. But go give Microsoft $400 of your cash so you can register a gamertag that no one will likely see anyway. I'm sure you'll teach 'em a lesson.

      --
      Done with slashdot, done with nerds, getting a life.
    38. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by slapout · · Score: 1

      "I predict your story will hit the front page by the top of the hour"

      No, no. You're thinking about Digg. Here at slashdot, we have to wait for the dupes to go thru before we get a new story.

      --
      Coder's Stone: The programming language quick ref for iPad
    39. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You and tsm_sf are both posting anonymously. You, however, were the one complaining about anonymous posters. That, my friend, is what is known as hypocrisy.

    40. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by LifesABeach · · Score: 1

      I believe that we are seeing more than some campaign of "Ass Covering" from Microsoft. With the ever increasing capabilities of Open Source solutions taking on what Microsoft sells; Microsoft is facing a time when its products will be submitted to the Smithsonian. I can not help but think that there is a time coming, when the same concept will be introduced to the manufacturing process.

    41. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by sowth · · Score: 1

      You mean I can't have a username like snapcracklepop??? There goes my Rice Crispies(r) storyline!

    42. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by Chris+whatever · · Score: 1

      that's not surprising considering they did that sort of banning in Messenger a couple of years back when it started, you could not use Bill gates, MSCA, some key words like FUCK, administrator etc..etc

      like were likely to encounter Bill gates on msn!!!!

    43. Re:Maybe not completely anti-linux. by twistedsymphony · · Score: 1

      Actually you can register a Gamertag and an Xbox Live Silver for free without even owning an Xbox. Just click the link above.

  2. MSN messenger... by ccs.gott · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Didn't Microsoft do something similar with MSN messenger? I seem to remember not being able to use the F bomb in my Display Name...

    1. Re:MSN messenger... by hc5duke · · Score: 3, Informative

      Maybe you're remembering the Scunthorpe problem?

    2. Re:MSN messenger... by Reverend528 · · Score: 5, Funny

      My friend Frank Ucker had this problem.

    3. Re:MSN messenger... by fractoid · · Score: 1

      And never forget www.expertsexchange.com :P

      --
      Rampant carbon sequestration destroyed the Dinosaurs' tropical paradise. I'm here to help repair the damage.
    4. Re:MSN messenger... by Trillian_1138 · · Score: 1

      My friend Frank Ucker had this problem.

      I'm guessing you're joking, but I do actually have a friend with the last name 'Ucker.' It's actually pretty amusing - we joke his middle name is Jeff (Jeff Ucker...say it faster now...ah yes, now you have it). The only time I actually remember it being an issue was at a laser tag party - the guy behind the counter wouldn't let my friend use his last name in his tag, even after showing a drivers license.
      -Trillian
    5. Re:MSN messenger... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      that one was imho more serious; msn reports (reported? don't know the current status) 'connection error' when trying to send messages containing certain words, amongst which '.info', thereby "censoring" a complete gTLD, as well as all other domains starting with info.

    6. Re:MSN messenger... by Bender+Unit+22 · · Score: 2, Interesting

      In February 2003 Members of Parliament at the British House of Commons found that a new spam filter was blocking e-mails containing references to the Sexual Offences Bill then under debate, as well as some messages relating to a discussion about censorship. [11]

      That one is pure gold.
    7. Re:MSN messenger... by Petersson · · Score: 1

      I wonder if they are blocking FrUitCaKes too...

      --
      I'm not insane. My mother had me tested.
    8. Re:MSN messenger... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And of course one of the oldest hoaxes in the history of the internet:
      http://www.penisland.net/

    9. Re:MSN messenger... by mfrank · · Score: 1

      Does he work for Sofa King? (youtube it if needed)

    10. Re:MSN messenger... by DrSkwid · · Score: 1

      If you live in the US or AU get a phone book and look for all the Wankers

      I saw about 6 when I was in NYC

      --
      There are places where the networks are not touching,and there are places where they are-Boeing's Lori Gunter
  3. Aren't they both..... by bherman · · Score: 2, Insightful

    trademarked or copyrighted names? Wasn't that one of the items SCO claimed ownership to (the Unix name)?
    Could be another reason.

    --
    Error: Sig not found.
    1. Re:Aren't they both..... by interiot · · Score: 1

      If so, then they'd block Walmart and Ford too.

    2. Re:Aren't they both..... by tepples · · Score: 1

      If so, then they'd block Walmart and Ford too. Wal-Mart perhaps. But because Ford is a common surname, USPTO is more likely to limit the scope of Ford Motor Company's exclusive rights in the typed drawing FORD (apart from the script in the oval) to automotive products.
    3. Re:Aren't they both..... by hcmtnbiker · · Score: 1
      trademarked or copyrighted names? Wasn't that one of the items SCO claimed ownership to (the Unix name)? Could be another reason.

      Why is that post marked as "Troll"? TFA says the same thing:

      UPDATE@8:54 EST: Seems this may be a trademark issue. Words like Microsoft are also banned. No word yet on whether or not "having fun" is still allowed on the console. Developing...
      --
      If i had one dollar for every brain you dont have, i would have $1.
    4. Re:Aren't they both..... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why is the parent modded troll? That doesn't make much sense...

  4. Other words? by FST · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Can someone try...other words like

    ubuntu,fedora,redhat...suse,novel? xandros, freespire...lindows...

    GPL.... FOSS

    Richard Stallman Linus torvalds al qaeda?

    Just wondering what's allowed and what isn't.

    --
    46487 466780 252994 376409 96920 39622 205366 244315 622115 512361 668040 63608 259203 955314 811176 652718 166330 23922
    1. Re:Other words? by WwWonka · · Score: 5, Funny

      ubuntu,fedora,redhat...suse,novel? xandros, freespire...lindows...
      GPL.... FOSS Richard Stallman Linus torvalds al qaeda


      ...we didn't start the fire, it was always burning since the worlds been turning.

    2. Re:Other words? by Kabal` · · Score: 1

      I know someone with the gamertag 'al qaeda airlines' so that seems to be OK :)

    3. Re:Other words? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ha...that's funny.

    4. Re:Other words? by Jarjarthejedi · · Score: 1

      You sir, win. That gave me a good laugh, and brought numerous cries of 'What? What's so funny' from everyone around me :P.

      --
      There are two kinds of fool One says 'This is old therefore good' Another says 'This is new therefore better'- Dean Ing
    5. Re:Other words? by yabba-dabba-do · · Score: 2, Funny

      Great, just great, Now you are going to get the RIAA ticked off at us. btw, can you use RIAA in a gamer id?

    6. Re:Other words? by bladesjester · · Score: 3, Funny

      Great, just great, Now you are going to get the RIAA ticked off at us. btw, can you use RIAA in a gamer id?

      Only if you reallllly wanted to be sniper bait =]

      --
      Everything I need to know I learned by killing smart people and eating their brains.
    7. Re:Other words? by DeepZenPill · · Score: 2, Informative

      In the Halo 3 Multiplayer beta you can assign your character a 3 character ID, consisting of a letter followed by 2 numbers. Disallowed ID's included N64, P53, N35, and a few others that escape me right now. I mean come on Microsoft.

    8. Re:Other words? by McFadden · · Score: 1

      ...we didn't start the fire, it was always burning since the worlds been turning.
      Funniest I've seen on /. this year.
    9. Re:Other words? by CrazyJim1 · · Score: 1

      Sometimes I wish the moderation didn't cap at 5. I'd really want to go back and see what some of the highest rated comments were. This would definitely rank up there.

    10. Re:Other words? by jonnythan · · Score: 2, Funny

      But how awesome would it be to piss off Halo 2 players by fragging them under the gamertag RIAA_Executive?

    11. Re:Other words? by MoriaOrc · · Score: 1

      X11, however, was perfectly fine.

  5. Fortunately by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    SlashdotSUX seems to work just fine. OH SNAP!

  6. I registered by Jeremiah+Cornelius · · Score: 2, Funny

    XXX-Box and MiniXbox360.

    I guess they were on Tannenbaum's side of the argument. ;-)

    Next I'm trying StallMan!

    --
    "Flyin' in just a sweet place,
    Never been known to fail..."
    1. Re:I registered by megaditto · · Score: 5, Funny

      StallMan? Does that refer to the FOSS geek or to the gay Senator?

      --
      Obama likes poor people so much, he wants to make more of them.
    2. Re:I registered by mOdQuArK! · · Score: 1

      You mean the Republican who was knowingly trolling for gay sex while hypocritically denouncing homosexuals & Bill Clinton's escapades, or the out-of-the-closet Democrat who didn't know his personal assistant was running the prostitution ring out of the DC apartment, fired him as soon as he found out, and deliberately asked the House ethics committee to investigate the relationship (which they cleared)?

      Sorry, you fail. Try again.

    3. Re:I registered by itcomesinwaves · · Score: 1

      Probably the one who pled guilty, not the one who's crimes have yet to be confirmed by anyone but a right wing attack dog.

    4. Re:I registered by Attila+Dimedici · · Score: 1

      Probably the one who pled guilty, not the one who's crimes have yet to be confirmed by anyone but a right wing attack dog. I'm not quite sure what you mean. Barney Frank's boyfriend was convicted of running a prostitution ring. Larry Craig plead guilty to being very creepy, although from the general tenet of conversation on here, I don't understand why most of the people complaining on here think he did anything wrong. I mean it is just about sex, what's the big deal?
      --
      The truth is that all men having power ought to be mistrusted. James Madison
    5. Re:I registered by jasen666 · · Score: 1

      Even if he did proposition gay sex in the bathroom (which my only problem with is knowing my own damn kid could have walked into that bathroom), I don't find that particularly bad in itself. I'm just very amused at how he toes the anti-gay party line while secretly doing men in the bathrooms.
      Criminal? Nah. Hypocrite who shouldn't deserve to be making decisions regarding anyone else? Yep.

    6. Re:I registered by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Larry Craig is being demonized for hypocrisy and lying, not for gay sex. He spoke out against homosexuals in his political life and then engaged in gay sex in private.

    7. Re:I registered by KarMann · · Score: 1

      How about, probably the one who's a Senator? Since that's what the n-parent said, "a gay Senator". And Barney Frank was never a Senator. Larry Craig, on the other hand, was, and still is for a little while longer.

      --
      ProofReading Markup Language - and yes, I find typos.
  7. "Monkeyboy" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I bet MonkeyBoy would work tho!! Pirst Fost!

    1. Re:"Monkeyboy" by Jeremiah+Cornelius · · Score: 1

      That's "Frost Piss"

      - as in the mug you're swilling now!

      --
      "Flyin' in just a sweet place,
      Never been known to fail..."
  8. other banned words... by Starteck81 · · Score: 4, Funny

    penguins
    penguinsrock
    penguinseatMS
    Iluvpenguins

    --
    "There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty: soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order." -Ed H
    1. Re:other banned words... by MightyMartian · · Score: 1

      msanalrapesiso - Anybody tried that one?

      --
      The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
    2. Re:other banned words... by msanalrapesiso · · Score: 1, Flamebait

      Yeah, no luck on that one either. Life is hard when you've won the siso groups' Miss Anal Rape award 3 years in a row.

    3. Re:other banned words... by Saint+Stephen · · Score: 1

      I just wanted to pipe up and vote for LeeNooks, the way Linus used to pronounce it back in 1991.

  9. Correct me if I'm wrong (seriously) by Scottoest · · Score: 5, Insightful

    But doesn't XBOX Live prevent users from using any trademarked terms when making a username?

    If this is not the case, then my apologies.

    If it is (and I think it is), then kdawson, you really need to give this up already. You are fast becoming notorious for posting complete non-stories, especially when the subject is Microsoft.

    - Scott

    1. Re:Correct me if I'm wrong (seriously) by Ant+P. · · Score: 1

      Geez, one month and he's already going back on my front page block list. Guess he's still as gullible/ignorant/whichever-derogatory-statement-t hat-applies as 12 months ago.

    2. Re:Correct me if I'm wrong (seriously) by westlake · · Score: 1
      If it is (and I think it is), then kdawson, you really need to give this up already. You are fast becoming notorious for posting complete non-stories, especially when the subject is Microsoft.

      I thought Twitter owned that franchise.

    3. Re:Correct me if I'm wrong (seriously) by TheTopher · · Score: 5, Informative

      The Halo 3 Public Beta demonstrated a new feature that allows players to choose an alphanumeric "call sign" of the form A00. The call sign "N64" was not allowed due to trademark issues. I would imagine that such issues are the same reason why Linux is not allowed in gamer tags.

    4. Re:Correct me if I'm wrong (seriously) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You are fast becoming notorious for posting complete non-stories You mean Zonk?
    5. Re:Correct me if I'm wrong (seriously) by Jeff+DeMaagd · · Score: 1

      I didn't realize that N64 was a trademark, but you are right. I thought it was just a fan designation.

    6. Re:Correct me if I'm wrong (seriously) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well Twitter does use sockpuppet accounts... Have you ever seen kdawson and twitter in the same room together? I sure havent!

    7. Re:Correct me if I'm wrong (seriously) by Reziac · · Score: 2, Funny

      He does. This kdawson person is infringing on Twitter's intellectual property rights. ;)

      --
      ~REZ~ #43301. Who'd fake being me anyway?
    8. Re:Correct me if I'm wrong (seriously) by ColdWetDog · · Score: 2, Funny

      He does. This kdawson person is infringing on Twitter's intellectual property rights. ;)

      That's pushing on the definition of "intellectual" pretty hard, don't you think?

      Or don't you?

      --
      Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
    9. Re:Correct me if I'm wrong (seriously) by Reziac · · Score: 1

      Well, yeah, but it needed the exercise. ;)

      --
      ~REZ~ #43301. Who'd fake being me anyway?
    10. Re:Correct me if I'm wrong (seriously) by Rogerborg · · Score: 1

      What I want to know is how the Goddamn hell did he get off my block list?

      --
      If you were blocking sigs, you wouldn't have to read this.
    11. Re:Correct me if I'm wrong (seriously) by MrHanky · · Score: 1

      It really isn't flamebait if no one is inclined to disagree.

    12. Re:Correct me if I'm wrong (seriously) by Khyber · · Score: 1

      Well, given it' s three digit, one alpha and 2 numericals, that goes for a total of 2600 possible callsigns. ONE is removed because it says "N64" Which I really have an issue with. Why? n-64 "BINGO!" *cashes in card* Sorry, but to me, N64 meant something other than Nintendo to me as LONG time ago. Microsoft is playing pussy, here.

      --
      Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
  10. wow.. just wow. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    That seems so utterly pointless.. /me changes gamertag to ubunturules in spite.

  11. Pathetic. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Absolutely pathetic.

    1. Re:Pathetic. by Liquidrage · · Score: 1, Redundant

      Yeah, this story is pure garbage. A very trivial amount of effort by either the submitter or the "editors" would have made them realize there is nothing to the story and they just overreacted to the situation because, like most overreactions, they came to conclusions without having enough facts.

  12. Xbox Live Error by klueless · · Score: 1

    "Your motto contains inappropriate language. Please try again" http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=18716 4/

  13. Snow by HTH+NE1 · · Score: 5, Funny

    A friend hated snow so much that he put it in his dial-up BBS's filter, so "snow" would be rendered "****".

    Someone decided to post a Christmas song, to hilarious results from the other possible 4-letter substitutions. He relented and removed it from the filter.

    Unfortunately, I'm not certain what song it was: "Frosty the ****man" or "Let It ****" are the ones that leap to mind.

    --
    Oh, say does that Star-Spangled Banner entwine / The myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's vine?
    1. Re:Snow by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      Sleigh bells ring, are you listening,
      in the lane, **** is glistening

      ---

      It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
      Ev'rywhere you go;
      There's a tree in the Grand Hotel, one in the park as well,
      The sturdy kind that doesn't mind the ****.

      ---

      I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
      Just like the ones I used to know
      Where the treetops glisten
      and children listen
      To hear sleigh bells in the ****.

      ---

      Hear the **** crunch, see the kids bunch, this is Santa's big scene
      And above all this bustle you'll hear
      Silver bells, silver bells
      It's Christmas time in the city

      ---

      Another tender Tennessee Christmas
      The only Christmas for me
      Where the love circles around us
      Like the gifts around our tree
      Well, I know there's more **** up in Colorado
      Than my roof will ever see
      But a tender Tennessee Christmas
      is the only Christmas for me.

    2. Re:Snow by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Careful, sleigh bells aren't all I hear, isn't that a RIAA lawyer's voice in the distance?

  14. This is old, old news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I tried a few Linux-related gamertags in the very early days of Xbox Live!1, and they were rejected. I thought nothing of it. Online gaming people enforce name policies. They always have.

    Of course, now that the "bloggers" have their hands on this, it'll probably be front page CAPS-LOCK EXCLAMATION MARK!!! "news" on the likes of Digg.

  15. But maybe... by davmoo · · Score: 3, Insightful

    perhaps it's time they gave it up

    But perhaps its also time that the people writing these headers realize that a) Xbox Live is a private network, and as such, they can set their own rules, b) Microsoft may have a policy against trademarks in names (I don't use Xbox Live, so I don't know their rules), and finally c) Microsoft is in competition with Linux, and is not going to publish or permit anything that is pro-Linux.

    Its like you people expect Microsoft to advertise with a slogan like "Linux is better, but buy our stuff anyway". You're probably also waiting for American car manufacturers to come up with the slogan "Our cars suck, but buy American!"

    Grow up, people, that's how capitalism works. Build your own game network (at your own expense) and you can set the rules.

    --
    I want a new quote. One that won't spill. One that don't cost too much. Or come in a pill.
    1. Re:But maybe... by NiceGeek · · Score: 1

      I don't think anyone is claiming that MS doesn't have the right to do this...but it does strike me as very immature of them.

    2. Re:But maybe... by garett_spencley · · Score: 3, Informative

      I was dying to post some joke about just how hilarious the whole concept is, but couldn't think of anything. Immature or not I found the whole idea that MS would do such a thing extremely amusing.

      Then I read the other comments and people pointed out that "Microsoft" and "Windows" are also disallowed words, as well they pointed out that there is a policy that using trademarked terms in screen names is disallowed. Assuming those posts are correct, it now seems like a complete non-story and non-issue. Ironically (as the parent poster is currently modded Troll), kdawson and shafty023 should be the ones modded Troll for the article. IMO.

    3. Re:But maybe... by davmoo · · Score: 1

      Even if its because they don't allow trademarks in user names? I know *MANY* networks with that policy.

      --
      I want a new quote. One that won't spill. One that don't cost too much. Or come in a pill.
    4. Re:But maybe... by Grishnakh · · Score: 1

      Its like you people expect Microsoft to advertise with a slogan like "Linux is better, but buy our stuff anyway". You're probably also waiting for American car manufacturers to come up with the slogan "Our cars suck, but buy American!"

      I only expect honesty from people; I don't think that's too much to ask. So if honesty demands American car manufacturers to say their cars suck, or MS to say Linux is better, then that's what they must do.

    5. Re:But maybe... by JasterBobaMereel · · Score: 1

      Why is "Windows" disallowed ?

          It is *NOT* trademarked - because it *cannot* be .... "Microsoft Windows" is trademarked however

        You cannot trademark words in common usage....

      In a similar manner Excel, Word, Office are not and cannot be trademarked ...!
          But "Microsoft Excel" "Microsoft Word" "Microsoft Office" are ...

      So it's not just trademarks that are banned is common words ...

      But as noted above it's a private network, they can a do set the rules and if they want to ban "hello" as a screen name they can ...

      --
      Puteulanus fenestra mortis
    6. Re:But maybe... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      a) Xbox Live is a private network, and as such, they can set their own rules,

      I'm a thinking man and as such, I can dislike whatever I feel like, including, but not limited to, any and all censorship policies of "private" networks.

      Also, I'm a strong man, and as such, I can beat up whoever I want and set my own rules.
    7. Re:But maybe... by Joe+Jay+Bee · · Score: 1

      I only expect honesty from people... if honesty demands American car manufacturers to say their cars suck, or MS to say Linux is better, then that's what they must do.

      Welcome to Super Happy Fantasy Land, population: you!

      Frankly, yeah, honesty is great and all, but the moment you start expecting companies to say "Our product sucks shit" is the exact moment you've gone completely insane.

    8. Re:But maybe... by Grishnakh · · Score: 1

      I just don't like lying. I guess that's why I could never be in marketing.

    9. Re:But maybe... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Honesty is dependent on the individual's outlook, so you'll never have any true "honesty" to you.

      If honesty demands car manufacturers to say their cars suck, they could easily get someone who doesn't believe their cars to suck to say so. Why would you believe one over the other?

    10. Re:But maybe... by Grishnakh · · Score: 1

      "Suckiness" can be determined by objective statistical data, such as warranty claims, repair costs, average lifespan, average amount of repairs per x0,000 miles, etc. It's not just "I think that car is cool, and I think this other car sucks". Of course, which specific statistical data, and its weighting, is determined by the consumer: is it more important to you for a car to last a long time, or to have a lot of horsepower per cost? Do you care if the interior holds up over time, or do you not mind door handles breaking off as long as the engine runs?

      All these things can be measured, though it's obviously a huge job and not likely to ever be done, and the number of variables is pretty staggering. But it's definitely possible to determine that some cars suck more than others in certain metrics; for instance, how many American cars (esp. GMs) do you see from the early 90s or late 80s, in good condition, vs. Japanese cars? I see older Japanese cars all the time in good or very good condition, my own included. All the competing American cars from that time period seem to be in the junkyard, or in extremely poor shape, even though they actually sold far more American cars if you look at sales figures which are publicly available.

    11. Re:But maybe... by blueskies · · Score: 1

      Grow up, people, that's how capitalism works.
      Bitching about a company is also how capitalism works, though. I like the way all theh capitalist apologists always forget that bitching about a company is part of capitalism. Their negative appearence can affect the bottom line.
  16. It's also worth nothing that... by Mike+Rubits · · Score: 5, Interesting

    "Windows" is also a disallowed word.

    1. Re:It's also worth nothing that... by Black+Copter+Control · · Score: 4, Funny

      Hey, buddy- I don't know if you noticed, but we're talking about X-box live, here .... Not Slashdot.

      --
      OS Software is like love: The best way to make it grow is to give it away.
    2. Re:It's also worth nothing that... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You're right. It's worth nothing [sic].

  17. 5-letter words :o by TheSpengo · · Score: 0

    Didn't you know in the MS development room, 'Linux' is considered profanity? It is referred to as "the-operating-system-which-must-not-be-named." Oh no! people are using "you-know-what" on their servers! Darn them all to heck! ;)

    --
    Weaksauce as they say...
    1. Re:5-letter words :o by GuyverDH · · Score: 1, Funny

      The next version of Windows will be released with a lightning bolt logo, and the name will be "The OS that lived!"

      --
      Who is general failure, and why is he reading my hard drive?
  18. Wonder if it recognises... by ackthpt · · Score: 1

    P A R A N O I A

    Seriously, Redmond has a cases of it. Whatever happened to this cozying up to Novell, or was it just another ploy to co-opt something beyond their control?

    have you seen me?

    --

    A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
    1. Re:Wonder if it recognises... by X0563511 · · Score: 1

      Nice hack-job there. You could have at least tried blurring out the insert so it looked like it MIGHT have been part of the picture, rather than just stamped on top.

      That, and they wouldn't have nearly the color range available for printing, you would likely need to palletize and halftone the image before blurring,

      --
      For large sets, this will be our guide even unto death, for the LORD will work for each type of data it is applied to...
    2. Re:Wonder if it recognises... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I threw it together in 5 minutes in MS Paint. It works pretty good in monotone, however.

  19. That's nothing by erroneus · · Score: 1

    On LinuXbox Live, you cannot use any name with "MS" in it.

    1. Re:That's nothing by Warbothong · · Score: 1

      RMS got a bit pissed off by that, but his official reason for leaving was that it wasn't "GNU/LinuXBox Live"

  20. How about pissofMS by Brad_sk · · Score: 0, Redundant

    I am not a MS hater, but this is really crap if its true. MS better be smart and mature in fighting competition.

    If they really ban "linux*" password, then how about trying BallmerWorksForTorvalds or something like that.

  21. Try "monkeyboy" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Or maybe "chairboy".

    How about "monkeychairboy"?

    1. Re:Try "monkeyboy" by gardyloo · · Score: 1

      Or "spiderpig". Comes with its own theme song.

    2. Re:Try "monkeyboy" by The+Evil+Couch · · Score: 1

      "FuckingburyGoogle" has a nice ring to it as well.

  22. Re:And to think I was going to buy an Xbox 360!! by bherman · · Score: 3, Informative

    Maybe you should do some research about your claims.
    1) Vista only support for DX10
    This isn't availible on XP either, and since no one is buying Vista no developer will support it. They don't want to only sell to a small install base.
    2) MS is actually helping Mono develop Silverlight for Linux Link
    Now, since they are helping a community that is actually fluent in Linux development as apposed to getting their feet dirty and then eveyone blaming them for intentionally introducing bugs to the Linux version we're now yelling "They aren't supporting Linux?" I don't like them as much as the next guy, but at least attack them on some more valid claims (OOXML perhaps)

    --
    Error: Sig not found.
  23. IP issues, not MS censorship of competitors by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It's probably self-censorship to deal with IP issues. A bunch of games have to implement IP filtering to stop people from having mottos that say "McDonalds Sucks", doubly so if that company wanted to sponsor content. I'd say it's more a case of Linux and Unix being considered IP that could be sued if it was modified in a sentence, and an overzealous IP lawyer not realising that the entity isn't going to sue.

  24. Re:And to think I was going to buy an Xbox 360!! by Liquidrage · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Your joking right?

    I do not think I am getting it just to be denied my First Ammandment rights
    No where in the 1st does it grant you the right to a name of your choosing on a private network. Come on now. If care enough to be concerned about it, you should at least know something about it.


    Oh, and btw, there is no story here. If you'd read some of the other comments you'd see there are a lot of words like this not allowed.

  25. Re:And to think I was going to buy an Xbox 360!! by GPL+Apostate · · Score: 1

    It's even worse with me!! I was about to buy 5,000 Xbox 360's and give them to orphans.

    Now, sniff... sniff... I'll have to buy something else!

    --
    Microsoft says legacy (serial/parallel) ports are bad. They don't obfuscate the hardware enough.
  26. Re:And to think I was going to buy an Xbox 360!! by TheTopher · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The First Amendment protects your freedom of speech from the *government*. Microsoft is under no obligation to let you speak freely while you use their online service. As much as you would like this to be about you, this is about preventing the Xbox division from losing even more money due to trademark infringement. That said, the 360 is an excellent system and I don't think that the inability to use "Linux" or other trademarked terms in your gamertag is a valid reason to not get Halo 3.

  27. Re:And to think I was going to buy an Xbox 360!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    > I do not think I am getting it just to be denied my First Ammandment Rights

    God forbid someone should abridge the first ammandment

  28. Take a hint from the spammers by earthforce_1 · · Score: 2, Funny

    There are lots of fun ways past a (lame) keyword filter
    Some suggestions to start:
    Lenucks
    Leenux
    LeanUcks
    LeeenUcks
    LinusesOs
    |_inux
    Linu}{
    L!nux
    L|nux
    Linuks
    Linu>

    Or some variant of...
    TorvaldsOs
    PenguinOs
    GplV2Os
    Free$wIsBetter
    FO$$

    Finally:
    $u$E SueSee
    Nohvell Nove||
    UhBuntu, EwBhunthu
    RedH@t, RhedHatt
    Debi@n, DehBian

    --
    My rights don't need management.
    1. Re:Take a hint from the spammers by krunchyfrog · · Score: 0

      I can't wait for the X-rated version of Ubuntu: Ohhhhhbuntu!

      --
      printf($randomline(sigs.txt) \n "-- "$randomline(authors.txt));
      -- myself
    2. Re:Take a hint from the spammers by apt142 · · Score: 1

      Let me guess, you clean out the spam filter at work don't you?

    3. Re:Take a hint from the spammers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Are all you Linux amateurs, all this retarded?

  29. What about... by WPIDalamar · · Score: 1

    What about Sony or Mitsubishi?

    They probably just filter trademarked names.

  30. GNU by skeeto · · Score: 1

    What about GNU?

    1. Re:GNU by tjr · · Score: 2, Funny

      GNU's Not Unix!

  31. slashdot banned too by wardk · · Score: 2, Funny

    I just made that up so you would waste more time on this non-event

  32. Re:And to think I was going to buy an Xbox 360!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    lol, only on Slashdot would someone get so worked up by combining the following:

    1. Claiming a violation of "First Amendment rights" completely out of context
    2. Blind Microsoft bashing (*anything* MS? BAD!)
    3. Blind Linux zealotism (*anything* Linux? GOOD!)
    4. Misrepresentation of facts

    Maybe it hasn't occured to you that they are trying to filter as many copyrighted terms as possible to avoid potential issues? Yeah, go ahead and try to enter Microsoft and see what happens.

    OMG THEY ARE TRYING TO CENSORZ "MICROSOFT" ITZ A MASSIVE CONSPIRACY AGAINST MY FREE WILL I MUST ALERT THE INTRAWEB IMMEDIATELY THEY ARE TRYIN TO OPPRESS MY CONSTITUIONAL RIGHTZ!

    Oh wait...Microsoft?

    LOLOLOLOL MUST BE A PROGRAMMING BUG THEY MUST HAVE BEEN TRYIN TO CENSOR LINUX OMG

  33. way-beyond-childish by Kuciwalker · · Score: 1

    That's what this article is, kdawson. As others have noticed, words like "Microsoft" and "Windows" are also disallowed. And really, even if it were some plot to keep people from advocating linux on Live, so fucking what? How could this be more of a non-story?

  34. I reported this about a year ago by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I reported this to Slashdot about a year ago. Good to see Slashdot on top of its shit, as always.

  35. Surely this is easy to test? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Surely this is easy to test. Can't somebody try the gamertag "Wii", "Oracle", "Ford", "Coke" or one of the other common trademarks out there?

    If there is a standard 'block all trademarks' policy, then well so long as it's consistent..

  36. I tested it and it's true. by agraham · · Score: 0

    I tried both FuckLinux and UnixIsForPussies and got denied both times!

    --
    To each, mine.
  37. Re:Advertising Exclusivity? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Hahaha, twitter is a paying subscriber, but he posts at -1 now - I think that's the first time I've seen that. Well done to all mods!

  38. Re:Advertising Exclusivity? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Wow, you need to get a life.

  39. Spike isn't allowed by sup-com by complete+loony · · Score: 1

    Not sure why, but my usual kick of spike is not allowed by supreme commander...

    --
    09F91102 no, 455FE104 nope, F190A1E8 uh-uh, 7A5F8A09 that's not it, C87294CE no. Ah! 452F6E403CDF10714E41DFAA257D313F.
  40. give up anti-linux or start anti-shitware by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    i wonder if microsuck is a banned name... or Gill Bates....or MACINTOSHISBETTER

  41. Re:Advertising Exclusivity? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Aw Twitter what you so upset about?

  42. Re:Documentation Lacking? by This_Is_My_Happening · · Score: 1

    It's an interesting story which can be deflated by geniouses like you if it's wrong. FUD stories shouldn't have to be deflated by the "geniouses" around here. They shouldn't get past the editors at all.

    We can imagine kdawson made a good faith effort to find xbox policy An editor do research? Surely you jest!
    --
    God made me an atheist. Who are you to question his wisdom?
  43. With apologies to Bob Dylan by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Once upon a time you posted so fine
    You threw the shills a dime in your flame, didnt you?
    Peopled call, say, beware troll, youre bound to fall
    You thought they were all shillin' you
    You used to laugh about
    Everybody that was moddin' out
    Now you dont post so loud
    Now you dont shill so proud
    About having to be waitin' for your next post.

    How does it feel
    How does it feel
    To be without karma
    Like a complete moron
    Like a stoning troll?

  44. Could it be that they want to cover their bases? by Opportunist · · Score: 1

    And this all has nothing to do with an anti-linux marketing?

    After all, someone could choose names like "Linuxsux" or "LetLinuxDie". Be creative and you find more offensive anti-linux names. And then, you'll certainly see some people get kinda irate.

    In turn, they MUST filter trademark names (at least to some sensible extent). Now, I don't know if Linux is a trademark, but let's assume it's not. Then people could call themselves "Linuxsucks" but not "Windowssucks". Worse, at least in the eyes of MS, people could advertise Linux (with names like "linuxgeek") while MS can't allow the same for Windows.

    In other words, I see it as some kind of way to keep that can of worms closed. Nothing more.

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  45. Re:One of these sites still exists by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
  46. Re:Documentation Lacking? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Jesus, what a whore. Sucking Dawson's cock, are you?

  47. I reported it about four years ago by Myria · · Score: 1

    I dumped the bad word list stored in the Xbox version of Phantasy Star Online soon after it came out. Linux was in there. It was clearly Microsoft's; the list in the GameCube and Dreamcast versions was much shorter.

    --
    "Screw Sun, cross-platform will never work. Let's move on and steal the Java language." - Visual J++ Product Manager
  48. Re:And to think I was going to buy an Xbox 360!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Did you mean: amendment... Did you mean: maybe... Idiots like you make my head hurt...

  49. Mod parent +5, funny by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Then mod parent -1, Troll. Apparently this person's negative karma is not enough to prevent them from posting these... things on Slashdot.

  50. It's anti-retarded fanboy by Sycraft-fu · · Score: 4, Informative

    Seriously, if your gaming handle is based around your OS, you are kinda of... Well... A jackass. Nobody gives a shit what OS you like, just play the game. It could be anti-Linux, but as you noted, it's more Kiley just anti-moron. There's not reason to make mention of OSes in handles on Live other than to start shit, which just really isn't needed.

    1. Re:It's anti-retarded fanboy by mattgreen · · Score: 1, Funny

      You seem to forget that people around here believe their choice in OS to be a moral one. :)

    2. Re:It's anti-retarded fanboy by heinousjay · · Score: 1

      No one could ever forget it. We just hope if we ignore it long enough, it will go away.

      --
      Slashdot - where whining about luck is the new way to make the world you want.
    3. Re:It's anti-retarded fanboy by Hatta · · Score: 2, Insightful

      WTF do you care what someone elses handle is? It's completely arbitrary so it might as well have something to do with the person. What better to name yourself after than something you like?

      If someone named themself "dachshund17" or "GTO-1963", would that be a jackass move? Dogs and cars are just are popular hobbies just like computers, so if they're ok then "LinuxRules" should be fine too. If those names aren't OK, wtf is someone supposed to us as a screen name and not be a jackass in your opinion?

      --
      Give me Classic Slashdot or give me death!
    4. Re:It's anti-retarded fanboy by m50d · · Score: 1
      Seriously, if your gaming handle is based around your OS, you are kinda of... Well... A jackass. Nobody gives a shit what OS you like, just play the game.

      I could say the same about any possible basis for a handle - sports teams, nationality, favourite movies. Seriously, who the hell is actually going to mind what your handle is? I can understand blocking profanity, but other than that will anyone actually care?

      --
      I am trolling
    5. Re:It's anti-retarded fanboy by ChaosDiscord · · Score: 1

      Sycraft-fu wrote:

      Nobody gives a shit what OS you like, just play the game.

      People are looking for a pseudononymous handle. It should ideally be unique and memorable, so friends can easily add you, and people you meet online can remember who you are if they bump into you again. Since you're pretty much making something up out of nothing, why not base it upon your hobbies and your preferences? It lets you express yourself in a small way, becomes a name you can easily self-identify as, and may be easier for your friends who know you to remember. It seems better than just assigning people random IDs. If I'm going to be playing with pseudononymous people, I'd rather play with GingerPunkfan, SadLittleEmoBoy937, StockCarRacingFan, SupahLinuxHacker, and Sycraft-fu instead of USER#813741, USER#12873, USER#937771, USER#2331, and USER#314770.

  51. Re:Mindshare Shrinkage by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Troll

    Sir, you make one great republican amerikan!

  52. LINUX YOU! by Sj0 · · Score: 4, Funny

    LINUX YOU, YOU LINUXING LINUXERS!

    I can't believe these linuxheads are doing this. linux isn't linuxing inappropriate language, linux-linux-it!

    I can't believe this linux. It's linuxing insane.

    --
    It's been a long time.
    1. Re:LINUX YOU! by the+phantom · · Score: 2, Funny

      Smurf your smurfing language!

    2. Re:LINUX YOU! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Frak you!

  53. Re:And to think I was going to buy an Xbox 360!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Wow, you're actually dumber than the person who submitted this story.

  54. Get a sense of humor. by Erris · · Score: 1, Insightful

    If nothing else, the error message about "inappropriate language" is news. It's bad enough that xbox would restrict normal behavior, but M$ make it worse by not explaining why. It made me laugh.

    If it is a Trademark thing, it must take forever to get a screen name. Next time you are in a grocery store, just look at all of the names for tampons. It's hard to imagine the size of the database they will have to parse though and that's before you get to L337 stuff like T4mpax or V46ici11

    --
    DMCA, Hollings, Palladium. What might have sounded like paranoia is now common sense.
    1. Re:Get a sense of humor. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Hi twitter. Is there a particular reason why you are replying to this exact same post with two different accounts? Is it because your other sockpuppet now has negative karma, or something else?

      I think shilling an article with multiple accounts is not exactly an honest thing to do.

  55. Try naming your kid Hitler or Stalin in Germany. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Do you see anybody bitching about it? I don't think so!

  56. Morons by ipooptoomuch · · Score: 0, Troll

    It's filtered because Lunix is a version of an illegal hacker operating system. This would mean that you are hacking the Xbox Live server and this should not be allowed.

  57. trademarks? no by EllynGeek · · Score: 2, Informative

    It is not illegal for private citizens to use trademarked names any old non-commercial way they want to. This new /. generation is seriously uninformed, and way too willing to put up with corporate bullshit.

    --

    we will end no whine before its time

    1. Re:trademarks? no by Frozen+Void · · Score: 1

      They write the rules. Its not illegal but can be forbidden. Its like complaining about profanity filters.

  58. You forgot... by LinDVD · · Score: 1

    iamsteveballmer
    imightthrowchairs
    fuckingkillgoogle
    nowilovethrowingchairs

    --
    Just because you get modded "insightful" on Slashdot doesn't mean you actually are in real life.
  59. Re:Anti-Linux Campaign by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Flamebait? Have you ever BEEN on Live? That's the family friendly version.

  60. Nothing to see here by yayotters · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Nothing to see here, move along.

  61. and homonyms? by tom_evil · · Score: 1

    ...eunuchs?

    --
    i am the opposite of tom_good, i am the XOR of ]=9fÆ"ÝÕ and ÖÆ\KF, i am 746F6D5F6576696C00.
  62. in other news... by SaturnNiGHTS · · Score: 2, Funny

    BallmerThrowsChairs is also banned.

    --
    Sig: Appended to the end of comments you post. 120 chars.
  63. Re:Advertising Exclusivity? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You're welcome.

    p.s. there was no conspiracy or paid shill bullshit or even any coordination.

    I know I dumped quite a few points in to it. (never would I call them mismods though).

    I just got sick of reading his crap, so I applied the flaimbait/overrated/and troll modifiers when needed. I got blantant in my final push. It may be a while before I get mod points again, but I've done my part to somewhat muffle a loud-mouthed zealot who had no interest and true facts beyond his pet facts for whatever the thread was. You see that month after month and get tired of seeing that B.S. You also happen to be a person who gets mod points very, very often due to being a long time member, fair moderator, and post highly moderated posts yourself and you'll have mod points nearly all the time to do it with.

  64. Re: The F Bomb by Psychor · · Score: 1

    Fedora?

  65. *Sigh* by Seven001 · · Score: 5, Informative

    Blizzard does the same thing in World of Warcraft. No trademarks as names.

    As others have suggested, we should bash Microsoft for what they deserve to be bashed for, not stupid shit like this.

    1. Re:*Sigh* by TertiusRegent · · Score: 1

      Agreed. Besides, considering the below is the motto that I made earlier when this "story" first broke, it's basically a lot of bull caca. I was even able to update it just now Sheesh! http://live.xbox.com/member/Tertius%20Regent

    2. Re:*Sigh* by Quila · · Score: 1

      Difficult to do across the board, since many, probably most, trademarks only apply for that specific field. If they did, then the words apple, gateway, red hat, and live would have to be disallowed.

    3. Re:*Sigh* by Tom · · Score: 1

      No trademarks as names. How many words are not trademarked? There's an awful lot of trademarks out there if you take every word that's a trademark for something in some country.
      --
      Assorted stuff I do sometimes: Lemuria.org
  66. My Xbox Live Username... by slacktheplanet · · Score: 0

    ...is usethesource. I didn't get any errors when registering.

  67. Completely incorrect concerning screennames by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I would like to point on that at this very moment I have my Xbox 360 powered on.
    At this very moment I have it showing me my friends list.
    And AT THIS VERY MOMENT I can see that my friend with the word linux starting off his screenname is not online. He was, however, online yesterday

  68. Re:Mindshare Shrinkage by Gogo0 · · Score: 1

    No, he doesnt like christians, that means he is a democrat.

    wait, is it possible that ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE have FUCKED UP opinions?!
    nah, didnt think so. go back to dailykos, AC

  69. Re:Could it be that they want to cover their bases by Kalriath · · Score: 1

    Linux is a registered trademark of the Linux Foundation actually.

    --
    For a site about things like basic rights, Slashdot users sure do like to censor "dissent".
  70. Re:And to think I was going to buy an Xbox 360!! by Burz · · Score: 1

    2) MS is actually helping Mono develop Silverlight for Linux Link [sdtimes.com]

    Which MS will toss aside like old underwear as soon as Adobe tanks.

    Why should the FOSS community care about receiving the great blessing of a me-too format with zero market share? That isn't helpful. MS Office for Linux perhaps, but not this old anticompetitive tactic of theirs.
  71. this username registered fine! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    SLASHDOT_IS_FOR_FAGGOTS

  72. Horny not allowed. "FingeredAnus" is O.K.! by J_Omega · · Score: 5, Funny

    http://amarok.kde.org/blog/archives/2007/09/04.htm l

    Posted today. They pulled this guys 3-yo tag of "HornyChinchilla" because, it is assumed, they found it to be offensive.

    Their filter suggested "Fingered" and completely accepted "FingeredAnus"

    I'm sure that there's a joke in there somewhere about how it feels to use MS products...

  73. vague error messages... by dAzED1 · · Score: 1

    Your motto contains inappropriate language. Please try again

    Ok, so folks are droning on and on about "Windows" and "Microsoft" not being allowed either.

    So here's a question: if you tried to make a username that was ilovemicrosoft (and it wasn't already taken), would it respond with the "Your motto contains inappropriate language. Please try again?"

    "Inappropriate" seems like an odd word there. If they wanted it to be more generic, shouldn't they have used something like "disallowed?"

    Not that microsux has ever been good at providing meaningful/useful error messages on a consistent basis...

  74. hmmm by LinuxIdiot · · Score: 1

    They never seemed to have an issue with my username. Maybe I should have posted this anonymously to avoid getting caught! >.>

  75. okay...how about? by mathfeel · · Score: 1

    MSSUCKS??

    --
    The only possible interpretation of any research whatever in the 'social sciences' is: some do, some don't
  76. who's making a religion out of this? by Locutus · · Score: 1

    Microsoft wants Linux and any other who threatens their monopoly power. There is no end to their madness and so they must go.

    Oh, and ask you boss if this is the kinds of developers you want behind your enterprise software, because they are there too.

    LoB

    --
    "Anyone who stands out in the middle of a road looks like roadkill to me." --Linus
  77. Stories about games attract the stupid? by Zero__Kelvin · · Score: 1

    I would not go so far as to actually claim that stories about games and game consoles attract the stupid, but I will go so far as to say that there are many stupid comments here.

    If they disallow Linux they have to disallow Windows, or even the morons could not claim they are justified. In order to block the use of Linux they would have to believe that they might get sued. We all know how suit happy Linus and the registered trademark holder for Linux are, and how scared M$ is of lawsuits. Since they are M$, they are certainly allowed to let users pick Windows as a substring.

    The real issue:

    1) People rarley pick the user name WindowsRox
    2)People rarely pick the username LinuxSux
    3) The inverse of 1 and 2 is virtually a guarantee, and they don't want an article entitled "Even X-box users agree that Windows Sux and Linux Rox" to hit the AP.

    --
    Guns don't kill people; Physics kills people! - John Lithgow as Dick Solomon on Third Rock From The Sun
  78. Re:who's making a religion out of this? (oh crap) by Locutus · · Score: 2, Funny
    Should have read:
    Microsoft wants Linux and any other who threatens their monopoly power gone . There is no end to their madness and so they must go.

    Oh, and ask you boss if these are the kind of developers you want behind your enterprise software, because they are there too.

    and you don't want me writing your technical papers either

    LoB

    --
    "Anyone who stands out in the middle of a road looks like roadkill to me." --Linus
  79. Try this instead... by Dracos · · Score: 1

    Register with usernames that include CEMENT (CE, ME, NT). I'm sure someone will get creative with it.

    Anyone tried variations on distro names yet?

    1. Re:Try this instead... by Virgil+Tibbs · · Score: 1

      what about "CEXP"?

      --
      www.tdobson.net #### Dare to Dream #### blog.tdobson.net
  80. Re:Horny not allowed. "FingeredAnus" is O.K.! by batkiwi · · Score: 1

    They likely pulled his tag because someone made a complaint. They have a basic filter for super-naughties, but rely on people complaining for most of the bans.

  81. Re:Horny not allowed. "FingeredAnus" is O.K.! by J_Omega · · Score: 1

    oh, I completely agree that that is most likely what is happening here.

    However... don't you think that the "super-naughties" list might first include(exclude) words like, oh, ANUS instead of Linux/unix?

  82. It bans character names too by fyrewulff · · Score: 1

    For instance, you cannot register "Jack of Blades" or any variant (the main villian of Fable)

    --
    "We need to get over this notion, that, for Apple to win... Microsoft must lose." - Steve Jobs, 1997
  83. Semprini? by laejoh · · Score: 0

    Who tried? I don't have an xbox but am curious!

  84. Re:Horny not allowed. "FingeredAnus" is O.K.! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Hardly a fair comparison. One of those two is enjoyable.

  85. Lemmings.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Why does anybody who uses personal computers bag on Microsoft? Without Microsoft there would be no Linux-because there would be no PC to run it on. Most of you are too young, or stoned, to remember when the freaking C-64 ruled the home computing market. Apple has never had a clue about pricing, or open architecture, so they've always had a barrier to mass appeal. Without Bill Gates' display of huge balls in dealing with IBM and forcing the operating system to be separated from the hardware the PC as we know it would have never have happened!

    Every time I turn around there's another legal action against Microsoft, but who does that really hurt? Not Microsoft, a couple hundred million is nothing to them. But, think about what YOUR life would be like without them. You probably wouldn't have a good paying tech job, you probably wouldn't have the CHOICE to use Linux, or Solaris, or whatever, you certainly wouldn't have an xbox 360, the internet would still be limited to defense and academics, and... ok I'm going way out on a limb here, but you wouldn't have Windows either. That's right I said it. Windows has become a damn good operating system for the desktop. Over the last 30 years I've used them all and to date I've never had a better experience with a PC operating system than I've had with Vista Ultimate. OSX - Nope, BeOS - Nope, Solaris - Nope, Linux (any distro) - Nope. Vista beats them all. Oh and let me explain that bit about CHOICE for all you noobs - Microsoft changed the way the entire computer market worked when they forced the separation of the operating system from the machine. Back in olden times you pretty much had to run the OS that was sold, or supported, by the hardware manufacturer. Apples came with their own OS, C64s came with theirs on a chip, Suns came with SunOS and so on. There were exceptions, but these were *exceptions*. Because of Microsoft's vision we now have choice about what we run on our hardware.

    Don't all you lemmings realize that Microsoft is the single most ripped-off company in the world? How many of you can say you've never used a stolen a copy of . How many Lawsuits could Microsoft file if they wanted to subpoena the world's hard drives? Yes they have zillions of dollars, yes they make mistakes, and yes they've released hoseware, but if you have any grey matter please stop bagging on them just because everyone else does. It simply serves no purpose and is not productive in any way.

    1. Re:Lemmings.... by scoot80 · · Score: 1

      Not much more to add except well said.

  86. Correct by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Of course you are quite right. What is even worse is that several of the BS posts about trademarks are modded up to 3, 4, or even 5 while your informative post is (at this moment) still at 1.

  87. Re:Horny not allowed. "FingeredAnus" is O.K.! by Macthorpe · · Score: 1

    There are completely legitimate words that contain 'anus' all in a line, like 'Uranus'.

    --
    "It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him." - Tolkien
  88. one sided by Bizzeh · · Score: 2, Informative

    this is a little bias, and the whole story isnt presented... microsoft, msn, and other such words cannot be used... and all cannot be used for a valid reason. so people cannot use live to bicker over ms vs. the world. live is a service that people enjoy, because none of this goes on there.

  89. And so what? by ctomer · · Score: 1

    This is a complete non-story. This is effectively a private network that is being moderated and happens to be run by Microsoft, big deal. If people want to leave because they feel their freedom is being restricted then they are free to do so.

  90. Screen name or Motto? by benjymous · · Score: 1

    Am I the only one that's noticed that the original article doesn't have a clue what it's talking about either, the "Motto" on Xbox live is quite different from your Gamertag.

    Gamertag - username.
    Motto - user's signature.

    The motto field has always been overzealous - e.g. I can't advertise my website, since "grapefruitopia" is considered to be inappropriate too - presumably because of the r-a-p-e in grapefruit.

    Ok, I guess it probably blocks the same things with your Gamertag, but Microsoft actually charge you money (or rather gamerpoints) for the privilege of changing that (or you have to abandon your old account, and all your achievements and start a new one)

    --
    Help me! I'm turning into a grapefruit!
    1. Re:Screen name or Motto? by eltonito · · Score: 1

      I imagine this incidentally bans folks from Scunthorpe, UK or Cockfosters, London, UK from including their location in Xbox Live.

      map of Scunthorpe, UK
      map of Cockfosters, Greater London, UK

    2. Re:Screen name or Motto? by benjymous · · Score: 1
      --
      Help me! I'm turning into a grapefruit!
  91. Re:Advertising Exclusivity? by Hal_Porter · · Score: 2, Funny

    I dunno, I think the fact that he's censored even on slashdot shows how powerful Microsoft really is and how important his one man campaign to get the facts out really is.

    You go twitter, remember the Nazis tried to censor their opponents too!

    --
    echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
  92. Re:this is g0atsex by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Oh, was this a bot? I've seen spams with better text than this.

  93. It's GNU/Linux dammit by rgo · · Score: 4, Funny

    Calling it Linux is an offense to the FOSS community...

    At it seems even Microsoft knows that.

    geez...

    1. Re:It's GNU/Linux dammit by argent · · Score: 1

      Funny. (mod parent +1 plzthx)

  94. C&C Generals by Samah · · Score: 1

    IIRC, C&C Generals' swear word filter also filters the words "Saddam" and "Hussein".
    No, seriously.

    --
    Homonyms are fun!
    You're driving your car, but they're riding their bikes there.
  95. Re:Horny not allowed. "FingeredAnus" is O.K.! by Jesus_666 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Of course we'd all be happy to play against someone called "FingeredUranus"...

    --
    USE HOT GRITS WITH STATUE OF NATALIE PORTMAN (NAKED AND PETRIFIED)
  96. What do you have against Yahoo!? by cp.tar · · Score: 2, Funny

    You Houyhnhnm, you.

    --
    Ignore this signature. By order.
    1. Re:What do you have against Yahoo!? by gardyloo · · Score: 1

      That's a Brobdignagian word, sir.

  97. Re:Could it be that they want to cover their bases by Opportunist · · Score: 1

    OK, then this could well be the reason. It's an attempt to avoid trademark infringement suits.

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  98. They will never give up by Ilgaz · · Score: 1

    If you as a die hard GNU/Linux fan or user enough to try getting "Linux" nickname, you shouldn't use that propetioary XBox 360 which is a Microsoft closed source/ closed standards heaven and opt in for a more open, not endorsed by MS device such as Nintendo, Sony (yes, it is OpenGL all over).

    You buy their device, try to open an account there giving up your privacy to them and try to get "Linux" nickname.

    How heroic is that? I bet webmaster(s) are smiling counting those attempts.

  99. OmG!!! by sz43w9 · · Score: 1

    Why oh why are they going to block those words? It's still free speech ..

    --
    When insanity doesn't come to play than I will be there to break your sanity
  100. The "so what" is "Look how stupid Microsoft is". by argent · · Score: 1

    Oh, I agree, Microsoft has every right to be stupid. That doesn't change the fact that this is a really really stupid thing for Microsoft to do.

  101. Why? by argent · · Score: 1

    (yes, Linux is a trademark)

    In turn, they MUST filter trademark names (at least to some sensible extent).

    Why?

  102. As an avid... by bealzabobs_youruncle · · Score: 1
    Linux supporter and an Xbox Live member, I have to say the real story is people who can't leave their proselytizing at the door when it's time to do something like play video games. I don't need to know if you hate George W., think OS X rules or if you are a warrior in the fight against gay marriage. Just shut the fuck up and play some games without dragging real-world baggage along with you. It's easy enough to come up with a name that references a classic game, a song lyric, a book, etc... I always find those types of names far more clever than veiled political messages, product/brand loyalty or celebrity references.

    Yes, it's true that MS wouldn't have to money to fund the Xbox division without their ill-gotten gain from their OS monopoly. Yes, I know it's terrible I'm supporting them in any way/shape/form. If you are any bit of a gamer you have to play with MS in some way, either with a 360 or dual-booting, and overall the 360 seems to me to be the lesser of the two evils. Seriously, when I log in for some mutli-player action I don't care if my crosshairs line-up on MSSUXORS, LNXFAN or BriTneySpeArSvAginA; just play the game please.

    1. Re:As an avid... by Xenothaulus · · Score: 1
      I'm pretty sure that if someone named BriTneySpeArSvAginA came into my sights, I would hunt them down to the exclusion of all else, even cross-game if I had to...

      Xenothaulus has killed BriTneySpeArSvAginA! HEADSHOT!
      Xenothaulus has mutilated BriTneySpeArSvAginA! Multi-kill!
      Xenothaulus has fragged BriTneySpeArSvAginA! Monster-kill!
      Xenothaulus has declared Uno!
      Xenothaulus has won against BriTneySpeArSvAginA!
    2. Re:As an avid... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Xenothaulus has mutilated BriTneySpeArSvAginA!
      I bet you did.
  103. Re:Advertising Exclusivity? by Macthorpe · · Score: 1

    What bollocks.

    Bruce Perens posts here, don't you think he would be a better target? Don't you think it would be easier to target someone like Theo de Raadt, or Stallman, or Torvalds on their own mailing lists?

    The sooner people realise that there are thousands more relevant people for Microsoft to target than good old lying FUDing Twitter, the better.

    --
    "It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him." - Tolkien
  104. Re:Advertising Exclusivity? by RadioElectric · · Score: 1

    **Whoosh**

  105. Re:Advertising Exclusivity? by Hal_Porter · · Score: 1

    I was joking - it's a parody of twitter's conspiratorial world view that explains why he keeps posting even he's consistently modded down.

    --
    echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
  106. Bollocks. by SEMW · · Score: 1

    I very much doubt anyone has given a penniesworth of thought to the relative probabilities of people using LinuxSux/LinuxRocks etc. as usernames. A full list of trademarks would be many millions of items long, they're not going to go through them one by one and decide what might be detrimental, or work out which ones are owned by Microsoft; they've just blocked the whole list as a legal precaution.

    --
    What's purple and commutes? An Abelian grape.
    1. Re:Bollocks. by Zero__Kelvin · · Score: 1

      SEMW, meet humor. You might want to hang out with it a bit to get a general sense of it.

      --
      Guns don't kill people; Physics kills people! - John Lithgow as Dick Solomon on Third Rock From The Sun
  107. Re:Advertising Exclusivity? by Macthorpe · · Score: 1

    Sorry, at work and humour flies over my head :(

    Consider it a tribute to how well parodied it was!

    --
    "It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him." - Tolkien
  108. I have Linux in my motto. by Bender+Unit+22 · · Score: 2, Informative

    I used a often posted line here on Slashdot as the "motto" in live account, since it really is my motto.
    They must have added this limitation later on.

    But what does it help? Can't you just go around it like fx. instead of writing "running linux", write "running on penguin power".

  109. Meah, don't assume malice... by _Shad0w_ · · Score: 1

    Microsoft may have just banned trademarks. It would be nice to know what other words it didn't permit, before we all run round doing the "omg! M$ are evil!" thing.

    --

    Yeah, I had a sig once; I got bored of it.

    1. Re:Meah, don't assume malice... by tech_guru5182 · · Score: 1

      Why? This is Slashdot. MS is inherently evil.

      </sarcasm>

      --
      BAN BPL! Keep the radio spectrum free fro
  110. Flamebait? by mattgreen · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I'm curious why exactly the parent comment is flamebait. I'm sure someone has an excellent reason for moderating it that way, so why not share it with us?

    1. Re:Flamebait? by bateleur · · Score: 1

      Presumably the moderator in question has the name of his OS in his gamertag.

  111. First Evangelic Lutherans, now Linux by magi · · Score: 1

    Years back, Microsoft had an experimental IRC server up. It had a content filter that disallowed certain words in channel or nick names. For example, "slut". In Swedish, slut means "to close" or "closed" (if I remember correctly). In Finnish, the only word (that I found from a dictionary) that contains slut was "evankelisluterilainen", or "Evangelic Lutheran" in English.

    Not that I have much against shutting EVangelIc Lutherans or any other religions from IRC or other systems, but shutting out Linux disturbs me a lot. But what is the logic? Does Microsoft intend to portray Linux as a religion?

  112. Re:Horny not allowed. "FingeredAnus" is O.K.! by LMacG · · Score: 2, Funny

    Several years back, when I worked with Unisys microcomputer systems, somebody had filed a bug report mentioning that the spell-checker flagged "Unisys" and the first suggested correction was "anuses." The report was closed with the notation "works as intended."

    --
    Slightly disreputable, albeit gregarious
  113. Re:Could it be that they want to cover their bases by damn_registrars · · Score: 1

    Or perhaps they want to cover "all your base"?

    Sorry, I just couldn't resist...

    --
    Damn_registrars has no butt-hole. Damn_registrars has no use for a butt-hole.
  114. what about ... by scharkalvin · · Score: 1

    Microsoftsucks
    billblows
    windowsisshit

  115. Not new by superbus1929 · · Score: 1

    I remember an old Super Nintendo game back in the prime of the 16 bit era called Uniracers; for those too young to remember, or too old to have been playing games then, it was a decent little racer with an emphasis on tricks with little unicycles. It was a fun, simple game that drew a KA rating back then (today, a KA = an E rating) But when it came to naming your account, you could not user a swear word, nor could you use any Sega trademarks; it would simply say "not cool enough". This game came out - I believe - in 1994, so Nintendo was the first to get into that censorship thing... but in a totally cool, hip way.

    And the thing of the matter is that this wasn't a game that was taken online, like XBox Live; it's not like Nintendo had a reputation amongst other people to live up to, or that some impressionable 8 year old would see the word "cock" in an online lobby. This MIGHT have been one of the games that that old, shitty dial-up service used, but that affected maybe 10 people.

    --
    Let's stop dilly-dallying and just change "-1: Overrated" to "-1: Disagree" or "-1: Doesn't Subscribe to Groupthink".
  116. Seriously? by provigilman · · Score: 1

    I couldn't put "Da Bears" in as my motto because of the same error, but I doubt that MS has an anti-Chicago bias. It's simply an issue of something wonky with their content monitor, or they're trying to block certain trademarked names and phrases. Before we go jumping off the deep end about how MS is "anti-linux" when it comes to mottos, how about people do a little research into what else is blocked?

    --
    "Life's short and hard, like a body building elf." -- The Bloodhound Gang
  117. I guess I'll have to settle for by ILongForDarkness · · Score: 1

    BlueScreenOfDeath

  118. This is the problem with filters. by SanityInAnarchy · · Score: 1

    Inevitably, they miss the worst possible things you could say, because filtering words like "fuck" just means you have to get creative.

    I mean, usually "anus" would be filtered, but it's not as if it'd be hard... try "necrophiliac", I bet it's there. Also, slang is, by definition, not really filterable -- "Dick" is also short for "Richard".

    --
    Don't thank God, thank a doctor!
  119. And this is supposed to be a bad thing? by Trillan · · Score: 1

    "You have been killed by LinuxR00ls."

  120. You think that's bad by WillAffleckUW · · Score: 1

    WoW won't allow screen names like Foamymustdie ...

    (hey, we all have our battles to pick, and you can still be BillGluser if you want)

    --
    -- Tigger warning: This post may contain tiggers! --
  121. Re:And to think I was going to buy an Xbox 360!! by Ang31us · · Score: 1

    "...the inability to use 'Linux' or other trademarked terms in your gamertag is a valid reason to not get Halo 3."

    Quite right, the shitty aiming you get from an analog joystick as you tap-and-touch it until it reaches your opponent is reason enough to not buy Halo 3 or any FPS on the XBox 360 or PS3. More details here.

    Go buy Metroid Prime 3 Corruption instead and aim using the arm-cannon attachment on your right arm or wait for UT3 and aim with the mouse.

    I was going to buy the 360 Elite for other games and genres, but I'm boycotting all MS products until they drop their patent FUD campaign against FOSS or clearly specify the IP infringement that needs to be re-worked. I encourage all of you to do the same.

  122. If you're going to nitpick, do it right by paladinwannabe2 · · Score: 1

    Microsoft wants Linux and any others who threaten their monopoly power gone. There is no end to Microsoft's madness and so they must go.

    Oh, and ask your boss if these are the kind of developers you want behind your enterprise software, because Microsoft developes that too.

    There! Now that we've eliminated some more errors, touched up some grammar, and clarified ambiguous pronouns, we have a readable rant against Microsoft. Remember kids, when ranting against 'Them', make sure your audience knows who 'They' are!

    --
    You are reading a copy of my copyrighted post.
  123. Oops. by paladinwannabe2 · · Score: 1

    Nevermind, I didn't realize you were correcting your own post; I just thought you were some random grammar Nazi, and decided to mock you for not going all the way. Carry on.

    --
    You are reading a copy of my copyrighted post.
  124. oblig bash.org quote by SeinJunkie · · Score: 1

    Does anyone know if it disallows "hunter2?"

    http://www.bash.org/?244321

  125. I find banning Linux to be ironic by TheJodster · · Score: 1

    I was playing Halo2 a few days ago. One of the kiddies playing had the gamer tag NigrBeetr. I find that to be highly offensive, immature, and indicative of a utter lack of character. You had better not use Linux in your gamer tag, though or you're in big trouble!

    --
    A little misunderstanding? Galileo and the Pope had a little misunderstanding...