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'Master' and 'slave': Tech terms face scrutiny amid anti-racism efforts
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bd139:
Oh there goes Gru
MK14:

--- Quote from: Simon on July 24, 2020, 06:25:07 pm ---I think minion is a word that can already be used negatively along the lines of henchmen.

--- End quote ---

Google search says (   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/minion    )


--- Quote ---Over time, however, the word evolved a more derogatory sense referring to a person who is servile and unimportant
--- End quote ---

So it is probably already racist. Possibly used against minorities.
Zero999:

--- Quote from: Ed.Kloonk on July 24, 2020, 05:58:09 pm ---Blessed are the Cheese makers.

After watching multiple failed attempts through the decades, they finally decided that a brand name (and someone's family name!) of cheese in a bridge too far. And a country town with the same word in it is up for review.

Madness.

https://www.smh.com.au/business/consumer-affairs/coon-cheese-to-be-retired-after-21-year-fight-to-change-its-name-20200724-p55f71.html

--- End quote ---
I did laugh that someone spent so long trying to change the name of a cheese. I suppose it's more understandable, than the silly master/slave terminology, as Coon is normally used as a racial slur. Unfortunately the article didn't say what the new name for the cheese will be. It would be funny if people boycott it because they don't like the new name.
james_s:

--- Quote from: MK14 on July 24, 2020, 07:48:07 pm ---
--- Quote from: Simon on July 24, 2020, 06:25:07 pm ---I think minion is a word that can already be used negatively along the lines of henchmen.

--- End quote ---

Google search says (   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/minion    )


--- Quote ---Over time, however, the word evolved a more derogatory sense referring to a person who is servile and unimportant
--- End quote ---

So it is probably already racist. Possibly used against minorities.

--- End quote ---

The problem with this whole approach that is not going to change is that master/slave accurately describes the fundamental relationship between the parts of a system called by those names. Thus any word you come up with to describe this relationship is going to be synonymous with master and slave. You're changing the words to synonyms but the meaning by necessity stays exactly the same or it would no longer be correct. Any word you could possibly come up with could then be appropriated by somebody to describe slavery before the ink has even dried on the changes. It's a futile waste of time.
MK14:

--- Quote from: james_s on July 24, 2020, 11:19:47 pm ---The problem with this whole approach that is not going to change is that master/slave accurately describes the fundamental relationship between the parts of a system called by those names. Thus any word you come up with to describe this relationship is going to be synonymous with master and slave. You're changing the words to synonyms but the meaning by necessity stays exactly the same or it would no longer be correct. Any word you could possibly come up with could then be appropriated by somebody to describe slavery before the ink has even dried on the changes. It's a futile waste of time.

--- End quote ---

Very true, and a good point!

My understanding (I think I read it in at least one place, but can't remember where or when), is that variable names (similarly IC pin concepts, or system functional block names), need a degree of power and controversy to them (already partly/fully mentioned in this thread, already), to make them memorable/noticeable and (as you and others have already stated), easily allow people to quickly understand/realise what the identifier (naming scheme) represents.

I.e. Some one says OUTPUT, then it is realised that it is the thing that conveys the results to users or devices, and there is usually INPUT(S), to go with it.

So TRUE goes with FALSE, and TRUE means that something is correct/active/enabled, and the opposite of FALSE. Even though the exact integer definition of true, is something, some people disagree about.
E.g. True is 1, or Not 0, or any positive integer, etc etc.
Similarly, false is 0, or -1, or negative or Not whatever true is, etc etc.

Therefore, variable/array/file names, such as BlackList, BannedList, DisallowedList, IgnoreList, RejectList.
Reasonably powerfully convey its meaning.
But, FirstList, PurpleList, PetList, ZList, DList, JList etc.
Might be defined to be the same thing, but don't immediately jump out as being the concept of a BlackList or BlockOutList.

Also in a busy IT department of a big company. there could be 10,000+ different programs/scripts/applications, spread across many different systems/languages, written over the last couple of decades or longer.
To go through all of them, and update the naming schemes, would be a massive undertaking. They would have to be each, rewritten (partly), recompiled, retested, then moved/installed to the various computer systems, potentially around the world.
It would cost a fortune, consume huge amounts of limited/valuable IT resources time, and probably introduce a big number of new bugs.
Some of the people who wrote the original software, could easily no longer be working for the company. The company may not even be sure, of all the locations, where that piece of software is installed/located.
I'm probably only scratching at the surface on all the heartache and problems/issues, this would cause in practice.
E.g. The custom hardware may need to also have its firmware updated, but the original PROMS are no longer available, no one knows how to even reprogram new PROMS, or where all those custom hardware units are actually installed.
Because the people who did it, left the company long ago. The custom hardware is installed in some big racks, somewhere in the numerous server and similar, rooms. Across many different countries. There appears to be absolutely no information as to where they are, or how many. Etc.
tl;dr
Big can of worms, best left closed, if you know what is good for you.
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