An Absurd Windows Update

June 28, 2004

kbAlertz - A critical update is available to remove unacceptable symbols from the Bookshelf Symbol 7 font

A critical update is available to remove unacceptable symbols from the Bookshelf Symbol 7 font that is included with Microsoft Office 2003. The Bookshelf Symbol 7 font is contained in the Bssym7.ttf file.

Microsoft Windows Update presents users with Critical and Recommended Updates. Recently, I noticed the "Critical" update linked above. To my absolute shock, this *critical* update replaces one font in Windows. The only change is the removal of a Star Of David, the Jewish Star, if you will. How is this "critical"? Perhaps anti-Semites should be allowed to purge their own systems of offensive symbols. But why should decent people have their systems modified? It is the classification as "critical" that bothers me most.

tIf you don't see the Star of David at the beginning of this paragraph (or see any other symbol), you have the updated font. I've uploaded the original font here. If you have installed this update, you can download this font and reinstall it (Windows Update and Microsoft will never know). mjh

Windows entry by mjh at 05:07 PM | email this