[notacoward]

Others have addressed the issue of "pizza/beer/ping-pong" as code for "we want to keep you in the office all day" so I'll just add one little anecdote. Long before the internet bubble, it was Thinking Machines that set the standard for these kinds of benefits. In that timeframe (1995 or so) I went to interview at Kendall Square Research. They made a really big deal about having catered breakfast, lunch and dinner. Even my naive and hungry younger self was tempted to ask if that meant they had cots in the back too, for the expected all-nighters. They said no, but I've worked with many people from KSR since then and they confirm that yes they did. I doubt much has changed. Companies provide these benefits for a reason. It's not because they like you and want to know you better. ;)

Now, the real point: swearing. I think it's great when companies allow casual clothes and swearing and obnoxious music. It's a real problem when they expect those things. When someone puts that in a job posting, which seems more likely? What if the best distributed-systems programmer in the world happens to be a bit old-fashioned about such things? Why should they be excluded because of that, any more than if the company were traditional and they were all bro-ish? Hipsterism has become its own kind of PC.

[kazagistar]

The company has to pick one or the other. Swearing keeps out some, not swearing keeps out others. Why should either be more correct then the other? I see no problem with the company stating this unless you happen to be offended by developers cursing at their code on occasion.

[notacoward]

I think even the most traditional programmer knows that swearing at code is A Thing That Happens. The question is not whether swearing at code is accepted at a company. The question is what kind of candidates they attract by putting it in their ads, and that seems to be putting things too far at one extreme.

[theorique]

Swearing at your code is one thing. Swearing audibly in the office.

Swearing in a job ad is - to my mind - somewhat unprofessional. It's not like this is an off-the-record conversation or casual chat - this is an official business document that has potential legal implications.