GitHub, fuck your name change • Hacker News Board

Re: GitHub, fuck your name change

#511

Post by jonathanstrange » Wed, Mar 17, 2021, 12:58 PM UTC

As I've said when this was discussed a while ago, the problem is not with the word "master", it would be with the word "slave". "Master" has many uses that have nothing to do with slavery, as evidenced in words like "master's degree", "master" vs. "apprentice", "mastery", etc.

Once "master" is used in combination with "slave", it refers back to slavery and leans on it, there is no doubt about it. That's the case for MIDI, for example. But in the Github case it is not related to that at all, and the change is wholly unnecessary. That doesn't make it wrong, as a sign, to change your master branch to "main" branch, of course. There is a lot of arguing in bad faith in this area. As if showing a bit of good will and following a simple name change guideline would seriously harm any of those complainers. But I agree that this change can is not really justified linguistically.

My 2 cents, for what it's worth.

Re: GitHub, fuck your name change

#512

Post by xony » Wed, Mar 17, 2021, 1:00 PM UTC

go fk urself

Re: GitHub, fuck your name change

#513

Post by emodendroket » Wed, Mar 17, 2021, 1:02 PM UTC

estaseuropano wrote: post #398

vmception wrote: post #47

I’m a black American and agree with everything that this person in London wrote. It is also a common criticism of the American “left”, and is entirely accurate. For everyone perplexed about black Americans and other people of color walking away from the left, its because you/they don't see us as equals that can be bothered by the exact same things that other Americans can be bothered by: being told what to think, wat…

I think important to distinguish between the radicals and the reasonable people. I would consider myself left but find this change ridiculous. Similar to e.g. how the American concern around blackface is pushed around the world and has madethe dutch Zwarte Piet or German equivalents 'offensive' (even as they probably relate to charcoal burners ('Köhler') [1]). You equate the few radicals that see some issue there wit…

The article seems to be demanding a much more radical change than GitHub is making so I don't think the author's issue is he wants more moderation.

Re: GitHub, fuck your name change

#514

Post by zozbot234 » Wed, Mar 17, 2021, 1:03 PM UTC

pron wrote: post #429

Saying that the left spends too much effort on rhetoric might be valid criticism, but focusing on it as reasons to "walk away from the left" (which not too many black Americans are doing, BTW) is disingenuous. Sure, the left talks about rhetoric, but it also fights for higher wages, civil liberties, healthcare, affirmative action, investment in education, workers' rights, and voting rights. It's fine not to like ever…

> Sure, the left talks about rhetoric, but it also fights for higher wages, civil liberties, healthcare, affirmative action, investment in education, workers' rights, and voting rights.

And the right pursues many of these things as well, albeit in very different and sometimes polarizing ways. But we should not pretend that leftist policies are not just as polarizing.

Re: GitHub, fuck your name change

#515

Post by emodendroket » Wed, Mar 17, 2021, 1:04 PM UTC

lcrz wrote: post #120

tda wrote: post #12

Though I initially sympathized with the name change from master to main (cause I don't care what it is called), I am now more of the opinion that this kind of window-dressing might actually be harmful as it distracts from addressing the root cause. It is a bit complicated as the name change in itself is not bad, but given the context, and that it distracts from addressing real issues it actually is. Same thing with p…

I have to separate my plastics for them to be recycled. It has actually made me realize how much plastic a small family throws away every single week.

The majority of plastics aren't even accepted by my town's recycling program.

Re: GitHub, fuck your name change

#516

Post by pw6hv » Wed, Mar 17, 2021, 1:04 PM UTC

is-ought wrote: post #492

When can I downvote posts?

HN is not about downvoting things one disagrees with but rather posts that do not add anything to the discussion.

Same holds for upvoting, many times I upvoted posts I did not agree with but that raised interesting observations on the topic discussed.

This is what makes HN great in my opinion.

Re: GitHub, fuck your name change

#517

Post by swiley » Wed, Mar 17, 2021, 1:06 PM UTC

jonathanstrange wrote: post #511

As I've said when this was discussed a while ago, the problem is not with the word "master", it would be with the word "slave". "Master" has many uses that have nothing to do with slavery, as evidenced in words like "master's degree", "master" vs. "apprentice", "mastery", etc. Once "master" is used in combination with "slave", it refers back to slavery and leans on it, there is no doubt about it. That's the case for…

I'm not sure telling everyone to associate a race with "master/slave relationship" is the best idea. Black people aren't the only ones to have been enslaved.

Re: GitHub, fuck your name change

#518

Post by Minor49er » Wed, Mar 17, 2021, 1:06 PM UTC

dna_polymerase wrote: post #177

I think that measures like renaming stuff creates a bunch of problems that ultimately make things harder than they already are. Once people understand that there is a changing nomenclature that has to be used they will completely shut up about a topic in fear of repercussions from a hate mob. This in turn will eventually lead to the unconscious but very real behavior of distancing from minority groups. It worsens thi…

George Floyd is dead because of his own actions. This video by Vigilante Intelligence called "George Floyd Bodycam, Finally The Truth" covers it comprehensively:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=j1KMTa2eLXY

Re: GitHub, fuck your name change

#519

Post by knorker » Wed, Mar 17, 2021, 1:06 PM UTC

By taking away words like "master" and "hit" because with completely different context they mean other things, these people are making it worse.

"Master" does not mean slavery until you ban every other interpretation. Then it does mean slavery. Well done, you encouraged slavery views.

Re: GitHub, fuck your name change

#520

Post by bobthechef » Wed, Mar 17, 2021, 1:09 PM UTC

vmception wrote: post #47

I’m a black American and agree with everything that this person in London wrote. It is also a common criticism of the American “left”, and is entirely accurate. For everyone perplexed about black Americans and other people of color walking away from the left, its because you/they don't see us as equals that can be bothered by the exact same things that other Americans can be bothered by: being told what to think, wat…

Absolutely. The paternalism that's shown toward black Americans by white Americans on the left is so obvious. They're treated like children. This patronizing stance toward blacks is like a continuation of the general pre-Civil War ethos of the Democrats. You "took care" of your slaves, too. They were your "property", after all. But of course, you didn't really want to help your slaves in any real way, lest they forget their place.