From: Art Chakalis (achakali@gcfn.org)
Date: 10/26/01-07:25:06 AM Z
Isn't it great to see how our business leaders are trying to help us wee
little people to attain their level of political correctness and social
responsibility.
If I had to guess it went something more like MS's legal department was
looking for a diversion from their anti-trust work. Some of them attended
a seminar on the potential liabilities of not being absolutely politically
correct. This legal seminar, no doubt a bi-annual event alternately held
in the Caribbean and Hawaii, provided conjecture as to the potential
liabilities from resulting lawsuits. Returning to the office, with a need
to demonstrate that they had not returned from a boondoggle but rather a
business related trip, an item was added to the subsequent board meeting's
agenda. A new policy was born creating the need for a new department
within legal to evaluate and eliminate all words which could create
offensive liabilities. More to come, the next seminar is in Europe and
when they realize that other languages exist . . .
>From a personal standpoint, I anticipate being called an idiot, goon,
ninny, nincompoop, nitwit, dullard, dunce or dolt just as frequently as
ever with the only change being an increase in missspellings.
Sincerely, Art
Art Chakalis
Columbus, Ohio, USA
On Thu, 25 Oct 2001, Judy Seigel wrote:
>
> On Thu, 25 Oct 2001, Sandy King wrote:
>
> > What happens is that if you type in a word that the program finds
> > offensive your message gets glossed with of one to three bright red
> > peppers. Then, when you try to send the message you get a warning to
> > the effect that this message could result in getting your mouth
> > washed out with soup (or something like this) if it goes out. If you
>
> (chicken soup?)
>
> > click to send anyway the program queues up the message and leaves on
> > the queue for about 30 minutes before actually sending it.
>
> An op ed piece in yesterday's NY Times, "Bowdlerized by Microsoft,"
> pointed out that the Word 2000 thesaurus has eliminated all words
> considered "offensive... to ensure that the tools reflect current social
> and cultural environments." The incident was precipitated by Mark
> Goldblatt being dissatisfied with the word "fool," and wanting a variant.
> He got only "trick," a verb, and no noun at all to suggest dumbness.
> "Idiot" was not found, nor were goon, ninny, nincompoop, nitwit, dullard,
> dunce or dolt. Etc. He called a friend with Word 97, which provided a
> rich assortment, from ninny to dunderhead and ignoramus.
>
> The explanation quoted above was provided by Kate, a spokesperson for the
> company.
>
> Mark concludes, "If we erase every noun connoting below-average
> intelligence, the world instantly becomes a smarter place.... Now if only
> Microsoft would erase 'hypocrisy' and 'chaos.'"
>
> PS: Am wondering if "bowdlerized" has been excised... ? Isn't there an
> e-mail program that's less coercive ? Enforced nicey nicey is but
> a hair away from absolute thought control. I'm surprised there hasn't been
> more protest. (On the bright side, according to one NY Times article, MSW
> is doooooomed !)
>
> Judy
>
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