[wordup] Is your name too rude for MS Passport?

[Adam Shand]

Via: The Eristocracy <Eristocracy at merrymeet.com>

My name's too rude for MS Passport
By Andrew Orlowski in San Francisco
Posted: 17/06/2002 at 05:49 GMT

A letter from James Woodcock in the UK:

I thought your organ might be interested in this: I have just found
(another) subtle flaw in Microsoft's Passport system.

Some of us are in the unfortunate position of having the surname "Woodcock".
This may (and I would expect it to) raise a giggle. In fact, I thought there
was no original way left for me to feel really narked off with my forebear
that decided "Hey, Woodcock is a really good name". He might have been a
purveyor of prosthetic genitals, or he might have been enjoying some
particularly impressive recreational pharmaceuticals. Still, I've come to
deal with it and most people just find it slightly amusing, I have not yet
met somebody who thought I was inherently offensive.

That is, until the fateful day recently when trying to sign up for Passport.
When I try I get a little message that says "Your lastname contains a word
that has been reserved or is prohibited for .NET Passport registration.
Please type in a different lastname". If only the registrar of Births,
Deaths and Marriages had said something similar 25 years ago...

Being temporarily unemployed, I spent a rather entertaining afternoon
entering slight-moderate rude words into the sign on process. Alas, only my
name and similar names were rejected. Harold Wanker, Fred Prostitute and
Josiah Feltch (and Felch, I never know how to spell it, neither does
/usr/dict/words) all seem to be perfectly acceptable names. So it would
appear to be a mistake... (And you should hear what "Gates" means in our
house). 

One day later, I finally found an email address to write to to point out
this oversight. Surely there is a quick fix. But no. I got an email from
some polite lady pointing out what a disgusting and offensive little man my
forebear was and does this satisfy my query?

I sent an email to the "I'm not totally impressed with that answer" address,
but have not heard back. I still can't sign up.

You may well argue "you're lucky. I cansign up", and there would be an
element of truth in that. I still can't help feeling slightly annoyed,
though. 

James Woodcock 

It's funny you should mention that James.

Recently, trying to corroborate a Passport story, I signed up for a new
account under a name containing the "vautour" - French for "vulture". It
wouldn't register me until all trace of vautour was removed from my proposed
handle. 

So French Vultures too are banned from Passport. Heaven only knows what's in
store for the Viagra family... ®