Hacker News Reader

Comment by takinola | Hacker News Reader

As a black person, speaking just for myself, I really do not get the issue around semantics like this. The word "Master" is not synonymous with any race and so does not make me (or anyone I know) uncomfortable. The concept of masters (and slaves) exist and are useful metaphors for naming similar phenomenon. I would much rather focus on issues that make people truly less comfortable in technology, like hiring or sponsoring practices in organizations. If there truly are (black) people offended by this nomenclature, I would not oppose changing it but I honestly don't know any.

View on HN

Agreed. It's just white people trying to feel good about themselves. I know many POCs and black people who have bigger concerns -- not getting killed by police, equal pay, etc. -- than the name of a damn git branch.

This, I agree with. However, I still see a value in relinquishing problematic language early and often.

"master" isn't problematic, though.

If it's not problematic, then why would GitHub put in the time to make this change? In your worldview, it might not be problematic, but for others it is.

Because they are paid to support agenda. It is so obvious can't even get how many devs can't see.

Banning words is the real threat to everyones freedom, not just blacks Shame on every supporter: good intention, maximum naivety, horrible execution.

It just seems like an ultimately meaningless gesture. Is erasing the word "master" from the English language going to actually help anyone? What's next - is the lock company Master Lock going to have to change their company name?

After watching a lot of Lock Picking Lawyer episodes, I’d propose the word they need to change is “Lock”.

Same, but also Bosnian Bill. Here's him opening a master lock with a plastic sheet as a pick: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayQIm3Lo6ZM or a zip tie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIq9khF-axs&list=PLTSWkYxuSl... (he has an entire list of these ridiculously easy picks).

What about a small company called Mastercard?

Ownercard coming soon

Agreed. I think if anything this a the Streisand effect too, in that, most people didn't think slavery when they read the word 'master' in the context of branches.

Now this is all people will think about and if they change the word to 'main' it will get memed and ridiculed and mocked to oblivion because of the huge inconvenience it will cause.

It will have so many unintended consequences.

It solves nothing honestly.

Superficial changes like this are easy, actually changing hiring is harder. One thinks this is being done to quell demands for actual substantive change.

I've always seen it as 'final mix', 'mastered tape', didn't even occur to me before this it could be backpropagated to BLM.

Gonna be a little bold here and say that even if there are people offended by this nomenclature, probably it still shouldn't change.

No problem that can be fixed by changing the default name of the branch created by git init will, in so doing, meaningfully soothe any sincere moral wound.

I find it ironic considering the name 'git' could be offensive by itself... I know the term and origin are not meant that way, but I've heard it as a slur on more than one occasion for dim/stupid/retarted etc.

I'm not suggesting they rename the tool or the github site, but I find it funny how sensitive github mgt can be when their entire name is somewhat offensive.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com