Microsoft finds 'big boobs' in source code, removes it
Published Jul 21 2012, 17:18 BST | By Paul Martinovic
© Microsoft
The hexadecimal string '0xB16B00B5' was found hidden in a code that runs every time a Microsoft programme starts a virtual version of Linux.
The BBC reports that it came to light on a mailing list for Linux developers, where hacker Paolo Bonzini said of the string: "Somone (sic) was trying to be funny, I guess."
Microsoft was made aware of the discovery and quickly issued an apologetic statement, saying: "We thank the community for reporting this issue and apologise for the offensive string."
The software giant then issued a patch that corrected the string.
Not all software developers were satisfied with the apology, however, with Dr Matthew Garret arguing that "puerile sniggering at breasts contributes to the continuing impression that software development is a boys' club where girls aren't welcome".
Garrett also suggested that the patch may not be the definitive fix-all that Microsoft thinks it is, noting on his blog: "It's especially irritating in this case because Azure [Microsoft's cloud service] may depend on this constant, so changing it will break things."
Its true then, some people do see sex everywhere they go.
I hope never to meet one of them, they may get offended if the barcode on my lunch says to much about my taste for meat.
July 23rd 2012 at 12:43pm
I find it hard to believe that this was a deliberate prank. 0xB16B00B5 is a hexadecimal number. It means "2976579765". It's probably completely coincidental as the result of a compiler converting source code into high level assembly, which is nothing but a string of hexadecimal bytes (values between 0 and 255). Considering that it would be very unlikely such a thing would be 'stumbled upon' due to the fact that nobody should really be trying to disassemble the software, and the pure coincidence that 'juvenile minds' try to spot words in numbers (for example 6 looks like a G, 5 looks like an S) - this only serves to put across how petty some people can be. There's a chance that such a number could appear if you hex-edited a photo taken by yourself with a digital camera, this is extremely pathetic.
July 22nd 2012 at 9:49pm
If you're THAT offended by the words 'big boobs', then you belong in a software development club. Ridiculously pathetic.
July 22nd 2012 at 4:42pm(+2 likes)
Or as I prefer to read the headline..... Microsoft takes big boobs out.....ROFL
July 22nd 2012 at 12:23am(+1 like)