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Xbox Live Disallows Linux, Unix As Keywords

Posted by kdawson on from the way-beyond-childish dept.

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.

25 of 281 comments (clear)

  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 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

    4. 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.
    5. 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.
  2. 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.

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

    SlashdotSUX seems to work just fine. OH SNAP!

  4. 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
  5. 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 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.

  6. 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.

  7. 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.
  8. Try "monkeyboy" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Or maybe "chairboy".

    How about "monkeychairboy"?

  9. 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.
  10. Re:MSN messenger... by Reverend528 · · Score: 5, Funny

    My friend Frank Ucker had this problem.

    --
    Badass Resumes
  11. 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.

  12. 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.
  13. *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.

  14. 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...

  15. 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...

  16. 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)