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GitHub threatens to shut down a repository for using the word 'retard'

github.com

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Re: GitHub threatens to shut down a repository for using the word 'retard'

#11

Post by schneidmaster »

aerovistae wrote: post #7
schneidmaster wrote: post #4

I am perfectly alright with this.

Can't say I am. People should be free to use the language they wish. The words that were offensive 200 years ago are laughable today. It's just such a superficial thing, almost arbitrarily deciding which words are 'sensitive' and which ones aren't, I cannot stand behind efforts to censor the world. Once upon a time 'idiot' was the more common word for the mentally disabled. Has GitHub banned 'idiot,' too? Good long w…

People are free to use the language they wish. They are not necessarily free to host said language on other people's websites. This isn't a legal ban or something, GitHub is a private company and they have the right to limit what content they want on their website.

Re: GitHub threatens to shut down a repository for using the word 'retard'

#15

Post by aerovistae »

schneidmaster wrote: post #11
aerovistae wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can't say I am. People should be free to use the language they wish. The words that were offensive 200 years ago are laughable today. It's just such a superficial thing, almost arbitrarily deciding which words are 'sensitive' and which ones aren't, I cannot stand behind efforts to censor the world. Once upon a time 'idiot' was the more common word for the mentally disabled. Has GitHub banned 'idiot,' too? Good long w…

People are free to use the language they wish. They are not necessarily free to host said language on other people's websites. This isn't a legal ban or something, GitHub is a private company and they have the right to limit what content they want on their website.

Of course they have the right. I'm not saying they don't have the right.

I'm saying that their choice to enforce this right doesn't make sense to me, on multiple levels.

Re: GitHub threatens to shut down a repository for using the word 'retard'

#19

Post by mdekkers »

Yeah, when you host all your code with a 3rd party, and you run all your services with a 3rd party, and you depend on another 3rd party for significant chunks of your functionality, you will find that starting up is a lot easier, as long as you don't mind giving up a very significant chunk of your independence and freedom to do as you wish.

I don't understand the obsession with github, google, amazon and the like. Well, I understand it, but I don't understand why people fall for it. Hosting is dirt cheap these days, really very easy, and you can set up pretty much any environment you need in less than a day, for very little money.

Re: GitHub threatens to shut down a repository for using the word 'retard'

#20

Post by aerovistae »

Gibbon1 wrote: post #18
avolcano wrote: post #6

Fine with me. It's an offensive term and GitHub has every right to police their service and ban content like this. Am I supposed to be concerned by this, and if so, why?

It's not as offensive as autistic.

Let's compile a list of things it's not as offensive as.
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