7 ms·

Let's say you are training a black intern. Do you think you could, with a straight face, explain the nuances of a master-slave relationship in the Linux ecocsys

Let's say you are training a black intern. Do you think you could, with a straight face, explain the nuances of a master-slave relationship in the Linux ecocsystem? On some level, you must know these words have meaning.

pinkfoot 6y ago
Done it a few times down here in Africa. Was never a problem. Presumably you'll now update your position based on my personal anecdote? [Or is that not how it works]
cabraca 6y ago
On some level, you must know that meanings change based on the context a word is used in. The sentence "i love you" changes its meaning based on the context. you can say it to your mom, your partner, your friend or even complete strangers after they helped you. every time the meaning changes.
yakshaving_jgt 6y ago
Why do you say "black intern"? Why the obsession with black people? Do you understand that slavery is a global problem that has both been perpetrated by and victimised people of all races? I'm Polish. My great-grandfather died in a Nazi concentration camp, as a slave. Would you care to be offended on my behalf too? Or will you tell me that I am no longer allowed to use words with multiple meanings in case I might offend myself?
Hamuko 6y ago
>Do you think you could, with a straight face, explain the nuances of a master-slave relationship in the Linux ecocsystem? Yes? Master/slave in computers is not the same as slavery in the real life, which is why we can actually do things like switch a server from a master to a slave and vice versa.
- acdha 6y ago
  Think about how that sounds from the perspective of someone learning this: “we don’t actually use this term following the dictionary definition, we just like keeping it instead of using more accurate words” What do we lose by switching to precise terms which don’t require everyone to internalize an overloaded meaning in multiple contexts?
  - Hamuko 6y ago
    >“we don’t actually use this term following the dictionary definition, we just like keeping it instead of using more accurate words” Words can have more than one meaning. Besides, computer terminology has a lot of words that have different meaning in the context of computers than outside of it. We have the desktop, we have the mouse, we have cookies, viruses, buses, servers, clients and so on. Should we get rid of the "virus" since it can be so easily confused for the thing that is upending the world right now?
    - acdha 6y ago
      “Virus” follows closely with the biological behavior, and it doesn’t have a recent history of being targeted at specific groups. Master/slave is technically inaccurate in most use and, unlike mouse, it bothers some people. Why are you so attached to keeping incorrect terms when changing will have no impact on your life?
      - Hamuko 6y ago
        I mean, it'll only have no impact on my life as long as I don't have to go and change my master/slave instances to be something else. And again, it's no less "incorrect" than any of those other terms.
        acdha 6y ago
        How many seconds will it take you to replace “master” with “primary”? Compare that with the amount of time spent on this thread. Arguing that the term is not more incorrect, which you have conspicuously failed to do, is missing the point. If you want to argue that a mouse is a confusing name, feel free but also note that usage doesn’t recall brutality in recent history. Masters not only didn’t usually do the same work as their slaves but the relationship was defined by the violence and permanence: your database master doesn’t torture its slaves if they make errors, or threaten to sell their children, etc. When the master died, they were replaced by their children or someone else but never a former slave. If you’re just talking about parceling out work, try to think about why you’re so attached to using “slave” instead of “workers” and how that would call your motives into question. Using terms like primary/replica (where both do the same work) or controller/worker (where they don’t) both more accurately expresses the nature of the relation and don’t drag in unpleasant connotations.
dvfjsdhgfv 6y ago
> Let's say you are training a black intern. Do you think you could, with a straight face, explain the nuances of a master-slave relationship in the Linux ecocsystem? It would never, ever cross my mind there is any relationship between my colleague being black and the terminology used in the system. Moreover, I think it would be racist to even suggest so.
loco5niner 6y ago
The color of the person I'm explaining this to has no relevance. Unrelated: Do you think black people are the only people who have suffered in slavery?

pinkfoot 6y ago

Done it a few times down here in Africa. Was never a problem. Presumably you'll now update your position based on my personal anecdote? [Or is that not how it works]

cabraca 6y ago

On some level, you must know that meanings change based on the context a word is used in. The sentence "i love you" changes its meaning based on the context. you can say it to your mom, your partner, your friend or even complete strangers after they helped you. every time the meaning changes.

yakshaving_jgt 6y ago

Why do you say "black intern"? Why the obsession with black people? Do you understand that slavery is a global problem that has both been perpetrated by and victimised people of all races? I'm Polish. My great-grandfather died in a Nazi concentration camp, as a slave. Would you care to be offended on my behalf too? Or will you tell me that I am no longer allowed to use words with multiple meanings in case I might offend myself?

Hamuko 6y ago

>Do you think you could, with a straight face, explain the nuances of a master-slave relationship in the Linux ecocsystem? Yes? Master/slave in computers is not the same as slavery in the real life, which is why we can actually do things like switch a server from a master to a slave and vice versa.

acdha 6y ago
Think about how that sounds from the perspective of someone learning this: “we don’t actually use this term following the dictionary definition, we just like keeping it instead of using more accurate words” What do we lose by switching to precise terms which don’t require everyone to internalize an overloaded meaning in multiple contexts?
- Hamuko 6y ago
  >“we don’t actually use this term following the dictionary definition, we just like keeping it instead of using more accurate words” Words can have more than one meaning. Besides, computer terminology has a lot of words that have different meaning in the context of computers than outside of it. We have the desktop, we have the mouse, we have cookies, viruses, buses, servers, clients and so on. Should we get rid of the "virus" since it can be so easily confused for the thing that is upending the world right now?
  - acdha 6y ago
    “Virus” follows closely with the biological behavior, and it doesn’t have a recent history of being targeted at specific groups. Master/slave is technically inaccurate in most use and, unlike mouse, it bothers some people. Why are you so attached to keeping incorrect terms when changing will have no impact on your life?
    - Hamuko 6y ago
      I mean, it'll only have no impact on my life as long as I don't have to go and change my master/slave instances to be something else. And again, it's no less "incorrect" than any of those other terms.
      - acdha 6y ago
        How many seconds will it take you to replace “master” with “primary”? Compare that with the amount of time spent on this thread. Arguing that the term is not more incorrect, which you have conspicuously failed to do, is missing the point. If you want to argue that a mouse is a confusing name, feel free but also note that usage doesn’t recall brutality in recent history. Masters not only didn’t usually do the same work as their slaves but the relationship was defined by the violence and permanence: your database master doesn’t torture its slaves if they make errors, or threaten to sell their children, etc. When the master died, they were replaced by their children or someone else but never a former slave. If you’re just talking about parceling out work, try to think about why you’re so attached to using “slave” instead of “workers” and how that would call your motives into question. Using terms like primary/replica (where both do the same work) or controller/worker (where they don’t) both more accurately expresses the nature of the relation and don’t drag in unpleasant connotations.

dvfjsdhgfv 6y ago

> Let's say you are training a black intern. Do you think you could, with a straight face, explain the nuances of a master-slave relationship in the Linux ecocsystem? It would never, ever cross my mind there is any relationship between my colleague being black and the terminology used in the system. Moreover, I think it would be racist to even suggest so.

loco5niner 6y ago

The color of the person I'm explaining this to has no relevance. Unrelated: Do you think black people are the only people who have suffered in slavery?