Messages in this thread | | | Date | Tue, 9 Jun 2020 10:19:35 -0700 | From | Stephen Hemminger <> | Subject | Re: [PATCH ethtool v1] netlink: add master/slave configuration support |
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On Sun, 07 Jun 2020 16:45:32 -0700 (PDT) David Miller <davem@davemloft.net> wrote:
> From: Stephen Hemminger <stephen@networkplumber.org> > Date: Sun, 7 Jun 2020 15:30:19 -0700 > > > Open source projects have been working hard to remove the terms master and slave > > in API's and documentation. Apparently, Linux hasn't gotten the message. > > It would make sense not to introduce new instances. > > Would you also be against, for example, the use of the terminology > expressing the "death" of allocated registers in a compiler backend, > for example? > > How far do you plan take this resistence of terminology when it > clearly has a well defined usage and meaning in a specific technical > realm which is entirely disconnected to what the terms might imply, > meaning wise, in other realms? > > And if you are going to say not to use this terminology, you must > suggest a reasonable (and I do mean _reasonable_) well understood > and _specific_ replacement. > > Thank you.
How many times have you or Linus argued about variable naming. Yes, words do matter and convey a lot of implied connotation and meaning.
Most projects and standards bodies are taking a stance on fixing the language. The IETF is has proposed making changes as well.
There are a very specific set of trigger words and terms that should be fixed. Most of these terms do have better alternatives.
A common example is that master/slave is unclear and would be clearer as primary/secondary or active/backup or controller/worker.
Most of networking is based on standards. When the standards wording changes (and it will happen soon); then Linux should also change the wording in the source, api and documentation.
See:
[0] - <https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~mjw/Language/NonSexist/vuw.non-sexist-language-guidelines.txt>, <https://twitter.com/justkelly_ok/status/933011085594066944> [1] - <https://github.com/django/django/pull/2692> [2] - <https://bugs.python.org/issue34605> [3] - <https://github.com/rust-lang-deprecated/rust-buildbot/issues/2>, <https://github.com/rust-community/foss-events-planner/issues/58> [4] - <https://twitter.com/ISCdotORG/status/942815837299253248> [5] - <https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/geary/issues/324> [6] - https://mail.gnome.org/archives/desktop-devel-list/2019-April/msg00049.html [7] - https://www.ietf.org/archive/id/draft-knodel-terminology-01.txt
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