Removing negative words #439
Conversation
ABizzinotto
requested review from
arielj,
bronzdoc,
cleicar,
etagwerker,
ignaciobertotti and
rdormer
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@ABizzinotto This is a great article! I was wondering if it might be a good idea to find at least one article about this topic written by a person of color to link to. In doing some research on the topic I found a lot of non-minority people talking about this, but not a lot of direct comments from the people it effects most. I did find that these two developers at Twitter (https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/twitter-engineers-replace-racially-loaded-tech-terms-like-master-slave/ar-BB16fzHA?li=BBnbcA1) are spearheading the project to change the language. I wonder if there is some writing out there that we could spotlight.
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@FionaDL that's a good point, thanks for sharing that link. I did quite a bit of research but to be honest I didn't find much in that sense (but maybe I was not using the right keywords too). What I found were mostly Twitter and Reddit comments discussing the issue on a thread started by an article written by someone who was not a minority. I tried to take those concerns into consideration but it's not the same. If you find anything in that sense, please share. It's definitely something we want and need to link to. Thanks! |
@ABizzinotto Will do! |
Co-authored-by: Fiona <fionadlapham@gmail.com>
Co-authored-by: Fiona <fionadlapham@gmail.com>
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@ABizzinotto I think this is a great article. Thanks for writing it and addressing feedback from our team! 💯
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@ABizzinotto Also, not sure if you addressed this comment by Fiona, but I think it is a great idea:
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@etagwerker @FionaDL after a lot more research, I added a bit more info to the post. I am trying to convey everything without writing a book but it is really hard. I also addressed Ernesto's comments. Let me know what you think. |
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@etagwerker @FionaDL could you give it a final review and let me know if you have any further comments / concerns? Thanks! |
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@ABizzinotto really great job covering such a difficult topic! Just a few little comments.
Co-authored-by: Fiona <fionadlapham@gmail.com>
Co-authored-by: Fiona <fionadlapham@gmail.com>
Co-authored-by: Fiona <fionadlapham@gmail.com>
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Thanks @FionaDL! I just have one language question for you :) |
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@ABizzinotto Looks good! Once you've addressed @FionaDL's comments we can publish this.
Also, once that happens, please make sure to update the date value in the head of this file.
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| ## Sources and References | ||
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| 1. [Developers Debate Deleting ‘Master’ and ‘Slave’ Code Terminology](https://insights.dice.com/2020/06/16/developers-debate-deleting-master-slave-code-terminology/) by Nick Kolakowski o[Tech Confronts Its Use of the Labels ‘Master’ and ‘Slave’n [Dice](https://insights.dice.com/). |
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Something strange is happening here, is this 2 different articles?
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No, that's the wrong article pasted in the wrong place. I'll fix it.
| ## Sources and References | ||
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| 1. [Developers Debate Deleting ‘Master’ and ‘Slave’ Code Terminology](https://insights.dice.com/2020/06/16/developers-debate-deleting-master-slave-code-terminology/) by Nick Kolakowski o[Tech Confronts Its Use of the Labels ‘Master’ and ‘Slave’n [Dice](https://insights.dice.com/). | ||
| 2. [There’s an industry that talks daily about ‘masters’ and ‘slaves.’ It needs to stop.](https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/06/12/tech-industry-has-an-ugly-master-slave-problem/) by Sinclair Im on [The Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/) |
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| 2. [There’s an industry that talks daily about ‘masters’ and ‘slaves.’ It needs to stop.](https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/06/12/tech-industry-has-an-ugly-master-slave-problem/) by Sinclair Im on [The Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/) | |
| 2. [There’s an industry that talks daily about ‘masters’ and ‘slaves.’ It needs to stop.](https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/06/12/tech-industry-has-an-ugly-master-slave-problem/) by Sinclair Im in [The Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/) |
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@FionaDL should this really be "in"? Just asking because I have been asked by a paper's reviewer to change to "on" when it's a website and not the physical magazine / newspaper / book.
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| 1. [Developers Debate Deleting ‘Master’ and ‘Slave’ Code Terminology](https://insights.dice.com/2020/06/16/developers-debate-deleting-master-slave-code-terminology/) by Nick Kolakowski o[Tech Confronts Its Use of the Labels ‘Master’ and ‘Slave’n [Dice](https://insights.dice.com/). | ||
| 2. [There’s an industry that talks daily about ‘masters’ and ‘slaves.’ It needs to stop.](https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/06/12/tech-industry-has-an-ugly-master-slave-problem/) by Sinclair Im on [The Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/) | ||
| 3. [‘Master/Slave’ Terminology Was Removed from Python Programming Language](https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/8x7akv/masterslave-terminology-was-removed-from-python-programming-language) by Daniel Oberhaus on [Vice](https://www.vice.com/) |
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| 3. [‘Master/Slave’ Terminology Was Removed from Python Programming Language](https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/8x7akv/masterslave-terminology-was-removed-from-python-programming-language) by Daniel Oberhaus on [Vice](https://www.vice.com/) | |
| 3. [‘Master/Slave’ Terminology Was Removed from Python Programming Language](https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/8x7akv/masterslave-terminology-was-removed-from-python-programming-language) by Daniel Oberhaus in [Vice](https://www.vice.com/) |
| 1. [Developers Debate Deleting ‘Master’ and ‘Slave’ Code Terminology](https://insights.dice.com/2020/06/16/developers-debate-deleting-master-slave-code-terminology/) by Nick Kolakowski o[Tech Confronts Its Use of the Labels ‘Master’ and ‘Slave’n [Dice](https://insights.dice.com/). | ||
| 2. [There’s an industry that talks daily about ‘masters’ and ‘slaves.’ It needs to stop.](https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/06/12/tech-industry-has-an-ugly-master-slave-problem/) by Sinclair Im on [The Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/) | ||
| 3. [‘Master/Slave’ Terminology Was Removed from Python Programming Language](https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/8x7akv/masterslave-terminology-was-removed-from-python-programming-language) by Daniel Oberhaus on [Vice](https://www.vice.com/) | ||
| 4. [OpenZFS removed offensive terminology from its code](https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2020/06/openzfs-removed-master-slave-terminology-from-its-codebase/) by Jim Salter on [ars Technica](https://arstechnica.com/) |
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| 4. [OpenZFS removed offensive terminology from its code](https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2020/06/openzfs-removed-master-slave-terminology-from-its-codebase/) by Jim Salter on [ars Technica](https://arstechnica.com/) | |
| 4. [OpenZFS removed offensive terminology from its code](https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2020/06/openzfs-removed-master-slave-terminology-from-its-codebase/) by Jim Salter in [ars Technica](https://arstechnica.com/) |
| 6. [Scourge of slavery still claims 40 million victims worldwide, ‘must serve as a wakeup call’](https://news.un.org/en/story/2019/09/1045972) by the United Nations | ||
| 7. [On Redis master-slave terminology](http://antirez.com/news/122) by antirez | ||
| 8. [BitKeeper Documentation](https://github.com/bitkeeper-scm/bitkeeper/blob/master/doc/HOWTO.ask#L223) | ||
| 9. [Let’s dump master-slave terms: they’re vague, horrible, and we’re better off without them](https://cdm.link/2020/06/lets-dump-master-slave-terms/) by Peter Kirn on [CDM](https://cdm.link/) |
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| 9. [Let’s dump master-slave terms: they’re vague, horrible, and we’re better off without them](https://cdm.link/2020/06/lets-dump-master-slave-terms/) by Peter Kirn on [CDM](https://cdm.link/) | |
| 9. [Let’s dump master-slave terms: they’re vague, horrible, and we’re better off without them](https://cdm.link/2020/06/lets-dump-master-slave-terms/) by Peter Kirn in [CDM](https://cdm.link/) |
| 7. [On Redis master-slave terminology](http://antirez.com/news/122) by antirez | ||
| 8. [BitKeeper Documentation](https://github.com/bitkeeper-scm/bitkeeper/blob/master/doc/HOWTO.ask#L223) | ||
| 9. [Let’s dump master-slave terms: they’re vague, horrible, and we’re better off without them](https://cdm.link/2020/06/lets-dump-master-slave-terms/) by Peter Kirn on [CDM](https://cdm.link/) | ||
| 10. [Tech Confronts Its Use of the Labels ‘Master’ and ‘Slave’](https://www.wired.com/story/tech-confronts-use-labels-master-slave/) by Elizabeth Landau on [Wired](https://www.wired.com/) |
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| 10. [Tech Confronts Its Use of the Labels ‘Master’ and ‘Slave’](https://www.wired.com/story/tech-confronts-use-labels-master-slave/) by Elizabeth Landau on [Wired](https://www.wired.com/) | |
| 10. [Tech Confronts Its Use of the Labels ‘Master’ and ‘Slave’](https://www.wired.com/story/tech-confronts-use-labels-master-slave/) by Elizabeth Landau in [Wired](https://www.wired.com/) |
| 8. [BitKeeper Documentation](https://github.com/bitkeeper-scm/bitkeeper/blob/master/doc/HOWTO.ask#L223) | ||
| 9. [Let’s dump master-slave terms: they’re vague, horrible, and we’re better off without them](https://cdm.link/2020/06/lets-dump-master-slave-terms/) by Peter Kirn on [CDM](https://cdm.link/) | ||
| 10. [Tech Confronts Its Use of the Labels ‘Master’ and ‘Slave’](https://www.wired.com/story/tech-confronts-use-labels-master-slave/) by Elizabeth Landau on [Wired](https://www.wired.com/) | ||
| 11. [Column: Language matters: The shift from ‘slave’ to ‘enslaved person’ may be difficult, but it’s important](https://www.chicagotribune.com/columns/eric-zorn/ct-column-slave-enslaved-language-people-first-debate-zorn-20190906-audknctayrarfijimpz6uk7hvy-story.html) by Eric Zorn on the [Chicago Tribune](https://www.chicagotribune.com/) |
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| 11. [Column: Language matters: The shift from ‘slave’ to ‘enslaved person’ may be difficult, but it’s important](https://www.chicagotribune.com/columns/eric-zorn/ct-column-slave-enslaved-language-people-first-debate-zorn-20190906-audknctayrarfijimpz6uk7hvy-story.html) by Eric Zorn on the [Chicago Tribune](https://www.chicagotribune.com/) | |
| 11. [Column: Language matters: The shift from ‘slave’ to ‘enslaved person’ may be difficult, but it’s important](https://www.chicagotribune.com/columns/eric-zorn/ct-column-slave-enslaved-language-people-first-debate-zorn-20190906-audknctayrarfijimpz6uk7hvy-story.html) by Eric Zorn in the [Chicago Tribune](https://www.chicagotribune.com/) |
| 9. [Let’s dump master-slave terms: they’re vague, horrible, and we’re better off without them](https://cdm.link/2020/06/lets-dump-master-slave-terms/) by Peter Kirn on [CDM](https://cdm.link/) | ||
| 10. [Tech Confronts Its Use of the Labels ‘Master’ and ‘Slave’](https://www.wired.com/story/tech-confronts-use-labels-master-slave/) by Elizabeth Landau on [Wired](https://www.wired.com/) | ||
| 11. [Column: Language matters: The shift from ‘slave’ to ‘enslaved person’ may be difficult, but it’s important](https://www.chicagotribune.com/columns/eric-zorn/ct-column-slave-enslaved-language-people-first-debate-zorn-20190906-audknctayrarfijimpz6uk7hvy-story.html) by Eric Zorn on the [Chicago Tribune](https://www.chicagotribune.com/) | ||
| 12. [Our democracy’s founding ideals were false when they were written. Black Americans have fought to make them true.](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/08/14/magazine/black-history-american-democracy.html) by Nikole Hannah-Jones on [The New York Times Magazine](https://www.nytimes.com/) |
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| 12. [Our democracy’s founding ideals were false when they were written. Black Americans have fought to make them true.](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/08/14/magazine/black-history-american-democracy.html) by Nikole Hannah-Jones on [The New York Times Magazine](https://www.nytimes.com/) | |
| 12. [Our democracy’s founding ideals were false when they were written. Black Americans have fought to make them true.](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/08/14/magazine/black-history-american-democracy.html) by Nikole Hannah-Jones in [The New York Times Magazine](https://www.nytimes.com/) |
| 10. [Tech Confronts Its Use of the Labels ‘Master’ and ‘Slave’](https://www.wired.com/story/tech-confronts-use-labels-master-slave/) by Elizabeth Landau on [Wired](https://www.wired.com/) | ||
| 11. [Column: Language matters: The shift from ‘slave’ to ‘enslaved person’ may be difficult, but it’s important](https://www.chicagotribune.com/columns/eric-zorn/ct-column-slave-enslaved-language-people-first-debate-zorn-20190906-audknctayrarfijimpz6uk7hvy-story.html) by Eric Zorn on the [Chicago Tribune](https://www.chicagotribune.com/) | ||
| 12. [Our democracy’s founding ideals were false when they were written. Black Americans have fought to make them true.](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/08/14/magazine/black-history-american-democracy.html) by Nikole Hannah-Jones on [The New York Times Magazine](https://www.nytimes.com/) | ||
| 13. [The History Of American Slavery. Slave or Enslaved Person?](https://slate.com/human-interest/2015/05/historians-debate-whether-to-use-the-term-slave-or-enslaved-person.html) by Katy Waldman on [Slate](https://slate.com/) |
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| 13. [The History Of American Slavery. Slave or Enslaved Person?](https://slate.com/human-interest/2015/05/historians-debate-whether-to-use-the-term-slave-or-enslaved-person.html) by Katy Waldman on [Slate](https://slate.com/) | |
| 13. [The History Of American Slavery. Slave or Enslaved Person?](https://slate.com/human-interest/2015/05/historians-debate-whether-to-use-the-term-slave-or-enslaved-person.html) by Katy Waldman in [Slate](https://slate.com/) |
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| The "master / slave" metaphore is clearly connected to slavery. The metaphore adopted in technology isn't master / copy, or master / student. The term master has several different meanings and it isn't, in itself, problematic. However, when used together with slave, in a metaphore referring to the "master / slave" relationship, it becomes a problem. | ||
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| The term "master" as used in git is also not used in the context of mastery of knowledge or even the original copy. As Bastien Nocera points out in his [email in reponse to the proposal to remove the "master" name from GNOME repositories](Bastien Nocera), the term "master" first appeared in git in a [CVS helper script](https://github.com/git/git/commit/3e91311ae750af9bf2e3517b1e701288ac3066b9) and was likely chosen because [BitKeeper uses "master" for its main branch](http://www.bitkeeper.org/tips.html#_how_do_i_rebase_my_work_on_top_of_a_different_changeset). According to BitKeeper's documentation, the term is a reference to the master / slave relationship, [as they refer to master / slave repositories](https://github.com/bitkeeper-scm/bitkeeper/blob/master/doc/HOWTO.ask#L223) and, in BitKeeper, [repositories and branches are the same thing](https://users.bitkeeper.org/t/branching-with-bk/158/2). |
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[email in reponse to the proposal to remove the "master" name from GNOME repositories](Bastien Nocera)
@ABizzinotto you're missing the link there. Also there's a typo in "response"
Co-authored-by: Luciano Becerra <lubc32@gmail.com>
Co-authored-by: Luciano Becerra <lubc32@gmail.com>
Co-authored-by: Luciano Becerra <lubc32@gmail.com>
Co-authored-by: Luciano Becerra <lubc32@gmail.com>
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@lubc thanks! I've addressed your comments there |
IMPORTANT: blog posts must be approved by two reviewers before they can be published, one of which must be a native English speaker.
[Add any information about this post here. Leave the not above when opening the Pull Request.]
This blog post talks about our decision to move away from negative terminology in our projects in the context of our company and of what has been going on.
It also includes some research I've done in the topic (summarized enough, I hope) and arguments behind the motivation and necessity of change. It is not only important to us to do things, but to understand why we're doing it.
I'd love your feedback.