Microsoft's ill-chosen magic constants

[mjg59]

Paolo 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.

Comments

[13-49-ru.blogspot.com]

How do you feel about potentially offensive hex constants in languages you do not speak? What if your sense-free english hex constant is in fact offensive in other language?

[(Anonymous)]

I guess its okay as long it was not contributed by microsoft.

That is completely irrelevant...

[(Anonymous)]

... but, since it is not already obvious to you how someone would remain consistent in this circumstance:

You would explain that as an English speaker, the selection of that particular constant was entirely down to coincidence. You would apologise for the offence and change the constant if possible.

How often would this be necessary? Probably never, if you used genuinely randomly selected hex constants. The number of phrases you can fit into eight characters is teeny, the number that are offensive is even smaller.

All of that is irrelevant to this discussion, which is about the deliberate selection of the particular constant "0xB16B00B5".

Regardless of your position on the feminist issues here (I'm guessing you see no reason to be respectful to women if the result is "funny"), there is no case that will establish the Linux kernel as an appropriate venue for lad humour. It is a professional product.