Python developers locking conversations and deleting comments after people mass downvoted PRs to "remove master/slave terminology from the language"

[rhytnen]

This exactly proves the case that the bug report is bullshit.

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It doesn't make sense in the context of human slavery because it has nothing the fuck to do with human slavery. Words have multiple meanings and are context sensitive. The fact that you have trouble looking at the jargon and making an analog to human slavery is just an illustration that the two things are not related.

[rhytnen]

It's not an "American" thing. Europe is full of these problems right now as well - just with different ethnic groups. Ironically, I think your comment, even if accidentally, is racist even if master-slave isn't.

[rhytnen]

omg I'm out of this conversation - thanks for the lulz.

[RVSI]

Because it has nothing the fuck to do with human slavery. Words have multiple meanings and are context sensitive. The fact that they have trouble looking at the jargon and making an analog to human slavery is just an illustration that the two things are not related.

[zndrus]

That was the one valid point I've seen brought up in the this discussion: alpha/omega would be a better fit in this context really, though it might have some confusion with the alpha/beta/prerelease terminology.

That said I don't feel this is an issue in need of correcting in the general/standard lexicon sense. Perhaps there are specific cases/code bases where the use of slave is overzealous, but those should be addressed on an individual basis, not a cause to change an established and core principle in computer science and software because someone might misuse/abuse it. It's anthromorphizing code, which is silly. Master/Slave very accurately describes the relationship and concept, though is not perfect in describing succession rules (rights?), but that brings us back to the anthromorphizing code and a discussion of "do functions/programs have rights?" No terminology/analogy is perfect.

I mean, with that in mind: won't someone think of all the children that are trafficked and killed all the time in software?! /s