3 ms·
>whitespace, black hole, blackbody radiation, white noise I don't think these are fair comparisons. In "blacklist" and "whitelist" there is clearly an associat
by scythe 6y ago
>whitespace, black hole, blackbody radiation, white noise
I don't think these are fair comparisons. In "blacklist" and "whitelist" there is clearly an association black = negative and white = positive. That is something that should be corrected.
In "blackbody" and "black hole" the modifier "black" corresponds exactly to the ordinary meaning of the word "black" in English: it absorbs light. In "white noise" we again correspond closely to the usual understanding of white light. "Whitespace" comes from the usual color of paper, which is the original medium for typesetting. None of these terms indicates a value judgment.
- pathartl 6y agoI get master/slave being potentially offensive if you apply it to history, but blacklist/whitelist etymology was never related to race at all. Blacklist seems to come from a more religious perspective with people without good souls being empty or black inside. If people actually find it offensive then by all means change it. However I wonder if people read too much into thing sometimes.