Microsoft's ill-chosen magic constants
Jul. 13th, 2012 06:59 pm![[personal profile]](http://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mjg59Paolo Bonzini noticed something a little awkward in the Linux kernel support code for Microsoft's HyperV virtualisation environment - specifically, that the magic constant passed through to the hypervisor was "0xB16B00B5", or, in English, "BIG BOOBS". It turns out that this isn't an exception - when the code was originally submitted it also contained "0x0B00B135". That one got removed when the Xen support code was ripped out.
At the most basic level it's just straightforward childish humour, and the use of vaguely-English strings in magic hex constants is hardly uncommon. But it's also specifically male childish humour. Puerile sniggering at breasts contributes to the continuing impression that software development is a boys club where girls aren't welcome. It's especially irritating in this case because Azure may depend on this constant, so changing it will break things.
So, full marks, Microsoft. You've managed to make the kernel more offensive to half the population and you've made it awkward for us to rectify it.
At the most basic level it's just straightforward childish humour, and the use of vaguely-English strings in magic hex constants is hardly uncommon. But it's also specifically male childish humour. Puerile sniggering at breasts contributes to the continuing impression that software development is a boys club where girls aren't welcome. It's especially irritating in this case because Azure may depend on this constant, so changing it will break things.
So, full marks, Microsoft. You've managed to make the kernel more offensive to half the population and you've made it awkward for us to rectify it.
no subject
Date: 2012-07-14 06:16 pm (UTC)Also, enough of this feminist crap. I'm getting tired of ill-minded women who seek for chance to sue somebody who looked at them slightly differently or smiled to them. They call this "harassment". I call this "good manners" and true way how a MEN should act with women.
no subject
Date: 2012-07-17 08:41 pm (UTC)Can't do it? Maybe you should stop being such a liar.
An example of sexual harassment would be "nice tits!" And that sure as HELL isn't good manners.
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Date: 2012-07-18 10:54 pm (UTC)Source: www.un.org/womenwatch/osagi/pdf/whatissh.p
P.S. That took me a single Google search attempt. It was also the first result and it was also intended to be a private/confidential document, so may not be up for very long.
no subject
Date: 2012-07-19 06:39 pm (UTC)