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Forums - Microsoft Discussion - Stop typing M$ -- it's not as funny or clever as you think it is

badgenome on 11 March 2009
BMaker11 said:
I've been using "M$" since late 2007.....why wasn't I a tool then? It wasn't a matter of being disrespectful, just a matter of sarcasm because of all the M$ moneyhatting. If they didn't buy up every 3rd party, no one would use "M$". Microsoft has been a multi-billion dollar corporation for many years, but "M$" only came up this gen when their 1st party wasn't up to par so they just spent money on 3rd parties.

People have been using M$ since long before the Xbox was even a thought.

 



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The-Prophet on 11 March 2009

Lets start a $ony trend.



hotrodx on 11 March 2009
The-Prophet said:
Lets start a $ony trend.

Maybe it should be -$ony because they're losing money for every console sold. j/k.

Seriously, "M$" is a irreverent, but maybe it's a way for people to express their frustration (God knows for what reason). I don't use it, but I don't see a big problem when it's used in threads. It would be shocking if Brett used it in an article, or some reviewer in a game review.



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blazinhead89 on 11 March 2009

So you just lost respect for yourself for typing M then $



Leonidus on 11 March 2009

If I got cheesed off at such things i'd be worried



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NintendoMan on 11 March 2009

Twesterm generally worries me. He just doesn't work. He's like collage in august. No class.



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Leonidus on 11 March 2009

^You worry me

Your a Man United Fan.....
Newcastle are much more passionate:p



headshot91 on 11 March 2009

youll fail in life if you type microsoft like you said? Hmmmm



Euphoria14 on 11 March 2009

I don't see why the term "M$" is such an issue.

Microsoft doesn't seem to care.



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alephnull on 11 March 2009
The Lurker said:
twesterm said:
alephnull said:
M$ was originally a reference BASIC with a double entendre. Originally in BASIC variable names could only have one letter (such as M) and since the "microsoft" is a string you would have to reference any variable by ending it with a $ (eg. M$).

You didn't get the joke and neither do most people these days, but that doesn't mean it wasn't clever.

 

You're right, I don't get that joke (and don't remember BASIC only letting me having variables with names that are one letter, but it's been years since I used BASIC) but I was referring to the people that say M$ meaning an evil money grubbing corporation.

 

I remember when BASIC only let you use single letter variable names, but I also remember M$ coming into use in the late 80s. All of the MS BASICs I can think of for 80s micros (Applesoft, BASICA, GW-BASIC) all supported long variable names. TRS-BASIC only let you have short variables, but that's nothing to do with MS. Is this is a reference to Altairs? If so, it sounds like one of those retroactively applied meanings.

As far as I know, there's no BASIC reference. The phrase was coined after that period. M$ is just short for Micro$oft or Micro$haft.

I use M$ if I'm referring to Bill Gates' money-grubbing ways and I think I'm being snarky.

The first time I think I heard this explanation was by my Pascal instructor at Appalachian State during this summer program I was taking in the early 90s. This may come as a surprise to you, but most pascal enthusiasts tended to not have that same level of enthusiasm for BASIC :P