Messages in this thread | | | Date | Wed, 9 Jun 1999 18:11:49 -0500 (CDT) | From | Rene Chaddock <> | Subject | Re: Kernel profanity |
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> First, such language will tick off some people, and at this stage in Linux's > lifecycle, > it doesn't need to tick off anyone, particularly in a way that could be used > by certain > large companies to make Linux (and all Open Source, really), look like the > hobby of > immature hackers instead of the serious, robust, etc., tool that it is. > Imagine if a > pointed-haired mainstream journalist picked up on this and reported that > such language > is in the code and messages, and that the Linux developers didn't see it as > a problem. > Most journalists wouldn't care about this, but all it takes is one to run > with it, causing an > unneeded PR problem for OS and Linux.
No offense, but who really gives a shit if anybody but me and the programmers use the linux kernel.
People seem to think that having linux accepted into the mainstream makes it succeed more. I disagree - it just means more people use it...
Certainly nice when it comes to applications and games, but nobody that matters is going to not use linux because the source that they are never going to look at has swear words in it.
In fact, I think that its more likely that some big pointy hair will be thrilled to see a computer message that says "Holy shit, the kernel fucked up!" because he can immediately understand Something Bad Happened. This is quite different from having a prompt that says 'login, fuckface:' or something you see in your computers' normal operation.
In any case, the amount of profanity in the actual kernel isn't enough to even stop your local (programming?) church from looking through the source. Those who disaprove of swearing have most likely become quite adept at ignoring it in real lif. Its the vocal minorities that whine about such things, which isn't really a big deal.
After all, they are in the minority.
Rene
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