“SantaGate” gets GitHub all riled up over Visual Studio Code icon

[konfab]

Microsoft apparently took a step too far trying to get into the holiday spirit, and GitHub is all upset. Some time this week, Microsoft made a small change to Visual Studio Code, putting a little Santa hat on the Settings icon in the lower left corner of the open source IDE. Then yesterday, a user complained via a GitHub issue tracker for the program, saying:

The Santa Hat on vscode insiders and pushing of religion is very offensive to me, additionally xmas has cost millions of Jews their lives over the centuries, yet even if that was not the case, pushing religious symbols as part of a product update is completely unacceptable. Please remove it immediately and make it your top priority. To me this is almost equally offensive as a swastika.

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https://www.onmsft.com/news/santagate-gets-github-all-riled-up-over-visual-studio-code-icon

 

[Solitude]

**** me but people can complain about stupid things.

 

[BeerIsNotGood...]

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https://www.onmsft.com/news/santagate-gets-github-all-riled-up-over-visual-studio-code-icon

 

[Werfetter]

Oh boohoo. Then stop using it if it offends you...

 

[SmartKit]

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https://www.onmsft.com/news/santagate-gets-github-all-riled-up-over-visual-studio-code-icon

Seems to be getting his knickers in a knot over a badly placed Coca-Cola ad?

 

[Messugga]

****ing hell. If it's that offensive to you then don't use it.

 

[Toxxyc]

Man if this keep going I'm going to have to stop cooking Jews for Christmas.

 

[ShaunSA]

If it was a swastika the whole world would have lost it's schit.

Ban the crappy santa hat!

 

[Gallderhen]

I didn't know Santa Clause (which I guess the hat is in reference of) was a religion?

-G-

 

[SauRoNZA]

Heh? Santa has nothing to do with religion.

If anything is a secular mockery of the religious holiday.

 

[SmartKit]

Man if this keep going I'm going to have to stop cooking Jews for Christmas.

That's probably a bit insensitive. However it's been 2000 odd years since we Europeans last crucified a Palestinian man for claiming he was King.

 

[prod]

One person complains = GitHub is all upset

 

[Glock26]

Almost certain that the complainer was NOT Jewish, since they are the last to give a $%$## about irrellevant stuff like this.

 

[BradleyKZN]

I'm offended by him being offended
EDIT: If I was in the US I would try sue while i'm at it

 

[konfab]

I might have some fun this holiday and make an extension that allows users to add whatever hat they want to their settings icon.

Always useful learning something new. And there is nothing more rewarding than doing something out of spite.

 

[Messugga]

Almost certain that the complainer was NOT Jewish, since they are the last to give a $%$## about irrellevant stuff like this.

Some orthodox guys would like to have a word with you.

 

[ShaunSA]

I might have some fun this holiday and make an extension that allows users to add whatever hat they want to their settings icon.

Always useful learning something new. And there is nothing more rewarding than doing something out of spite.

You can start with the old SA Flag

 

[S.Claus]

Well FU2 GitHub user

 

[konfab]

You can start with the old SA Flag

Followed by the new one with a little hammer and sickle over it.

 

[Fulcrum29]

SantaGate... more like AppeaseGate.

The thing is, MS appeased a single user's demand without considering any other comments. They quickly appeased the user, and then closed and scrubbed the thread when an argument ensued over the said complaint.

So... my best guess is that someone on MS's side, a moderator, 'agreed' with the complaint. This is the piece the man posted to support his case:

What does Judaism say about Christmas: A night we don't study, a day soaked in sorrows, and today's materialism HQ in progress | Voices on Sefaria

www.sefaria.org

The piece dates back to 2016 so I don't believe it is this exact piece which gave the man the idea, anyone Jewish person here willing to elaborate?