Hacker News Reader

throwaway1997

Please just answer the question. I have a degree called "Master's degree". What should I call it now? If it's serious enough to warrant changing everyone's git workflow, surely a small gesture like updating my CV to remove potential trigger words is needed.

View on HN

If we're really having this conversation here's your answer: the github term master comes from bitkeeper which was specifically using a master/slave idiom. Whereas Master in academia is derived from the Latin Magister which doesn't have the same reference to the master slave dynamic - it's literally just a homonym. So don't change your CV.

I'm sorry but you are mistaken. "Master" in git refers to "record master" which has nothing to do with a master-slave relationship. The master used in git is a homonym, not the same word.

Nope, it's mentioned right here: https://github.com/bitkeeper-scm/bitkeeper/blob/master/doc/H...

Reply on news.ycombinator.com