Xbox Live Bans the Word "Linux"

Microsoft has added "linux" to its list of prohibited words that can be used as your publicly-visible motto on Xbox Live, says Xbox 360-fan Gabriel Rivera. I confirmed it—at the time of this writing I could not change my motto to be just the word "linux."

Obviously, it's just a little amusing egg on Microsoft's face this morning, most likely because a single smartass at the company decided to have a little fun, but it does offer a good example of why banned word lists should be made public, if only to keep discussion about the lists on your home turf.

Other words Xbox Live would not let me add to my profile: "gay," "homosexual," "vagina," and "dong." (Rough work, this blogging.) "Gay" and "homosexual" are a disappointment. It would be nice if Microsoft would let a proud queer^* Linux lover self-identify as such if they chose, even if it would be begging for harassment from Xbox Live's constabulary of sugar-crazed homophobes and pre-teen racists shrilly screaming epithets into their voice-chat microphones.

I mean, they do already just for beating them at Puzzle Fighter; imagine what they'd say if they really thought you were gay? Or named "Dong?"

The Word "LINUX" is inappropriate in XBOX Live [RiveraG.com via CrunchGear]

^{* Also banned!}

[#1 posted by Anonymous , September 4, 2007 6:19 AM]

I work with a Japanese man who's last name is Dong. Fortunately, he doesn't play Xbox and as such doesn't have to worry about the ignorant jibes of those on Live!

--Russ

[#2 posted by A New Challenger , September 4, 2007 6:38 AM]

Oooh,oooh! See if they allow "Ron Mexico."

I don't have an Xbox (either of them) but now I want to play the "What's Banned" game (killer app, I may just have to grab one now.) See if Wii or Playstation are banned. More ideas:

Tux
Dreamcast
It prints money
Regginator
Red Ring Of Death
Super Mario *

And so forth.

[#3 posted by Joel Johnson , September 4, 2007 7:02 AM]

Nintendo, Sony, Wii, and Playstation are all perfectly acceptable, it seems.

[#4 posted by Anonymous , September 4, 2007 7:15 AM]

Interestingly, while creating a Live account you are asked to enter the answer to a challenge question, if you select the question along the lines of "Who is your favorite fictional character?" you are informed that "God" is an illegal answer.

[#5 posted by A New Challenger , September 4, 2007 7:15 AM]

Hmmm, maybe they just want to discourage people from running Linux on their Xboxen (and telling others to do so.)

If you want the Xbox Live community to identify you as gay, just speak positively about the Gamecube (works best if you mention owning a purp- er, indigo one.)

[#6 posted by A New Challenger , September 4, 2007 8:41 AM]

@ #4

Amusing as that is, I'm betting that's because "God" is a rather common password/secret answer, doubly so given the smartasses us gamers tend to be, so it isn't the most secure. Also it's only 3 letters.

[#7 posted by Halloween Jack , September 4, 2007 9:30 AM]

Sounds like MS is taking a page from World of Warcraft's now-defunct (I think) policy of banning people from publicly identifying as gay, ostensibly to protect them from homophobes but really just to save money on support staff that would have to handle complaints about harassment.

[#8 posted by g.deck , September 4, 2007 9:38 AM]

Before the pitchforks and torches are issued, you might want to note that microsoft and windows are also disallowed words too.

http://www.shacknews.com/laryn.x?id=15058771#itemanchor_15058771

[#9 posted by Anonymous , January 5, 2008 3:12 PM]

Maybe they will ban the words "stupid irrelevant conversations" as well.