Originally posted by: BingBongWongFooey
It's true that the words master and slave are rarely used anymore and someone who isn't into technical stuff might be surprised to see them in use.
HOWEVER, that doesn't mean that it's wrong in any way. Master and slave are pretty simple, self-explanatory words, that had meaning before Africans were enslaved in America, and continue to retain those meanings today.
We should outlaw the words "whip" and "plantation" too!
I wouldn't say rarely used. I can think of no replacement words with the same meaning and they were in use before the slavery which inspired the civil rights movement existed and was thereby universally understood when used to describe such slavery. It is still understood just as well, if not more so thanks to history lessons. The words were never supposed to be associated with any specific application ever and still are not associated with them. Only in the minds of those who fixate on this one use.
Originally posted by: jdurg
I think there's some incredible irony in this whole thing. The people who have become offended by the master/slave designation of hardware are probably the people who would like to see ignorance and stubborness stamped out. However, by demanding that the master/slave designations be changed, they are the ones who are ignorant and stubborn. (Not to mention egotistical as well. If they think that master/slave only refers to the slavery period in the United States, they fail to realize that the period of slavery in the USA was MUCH shorter than the periods of slavery which existed/exist everywhere else in the world).
They are ignorant in that they don't realize that the term "master" doesn't mean "white man who beats black slave." It means dominant, or superior device. They also don't realize that "slave" doesn't mean "black man who is whipped and beaten by his white owner." It means subordinate, or second-tier device.
They are stubborn in that they refuse to accept the fact that the master/slave designation in no way is meant to be taken in terms of human beings. These devices are not human beings. They are pieces of electronic equipment. If they were jobs in a company which were designated master/slave, then yes, they have a valid complaint. As it stands now, they have no valid complaint and need to wake up and do some research.
Damn straight. The words existed before the United State's period of slavery. It was descriptive of that period and what used. It is also descriptive of the relationship of the two devices sharing the IDE channel and was used. It is also descriptive of man and machine, love, and many other situations. "I KNOW! Let's stop using the word 'slave' just because human slavery is wrong! Let's PRETEND that there is a word that means the same thing except it does not apply to humans." Now how do we describe modern slavery?
Originally posted by: Ardan
I would just simply say it is crazy for him to think that, but I won't put words in the person offended by saying they are stubborn and ignorant. I would say it is right to think he or she is ultra-sensitive and probably doesn't understand the true meaning of the words but that doesn't mean they are thinking of only when the US had slavery. We have to acknowledge that slavery is not dead (as I know you hinted at); it just doesn't exist in the same way that we remember it to exist. We don't know much about the person, but we do know that they are at least foolish to be offended by it and that it is even more foolish for California to take one man or woman out of 90,000 with an outrageous complaint and run with it.
The focus of the nonsense about wanting it changed should be on the officials because he just simply filed an complaint and they decided to do all that craziness. I would go as far to say that they are more naive and unaware of the underlying parts of a computer to have some of them suggest not buying parts with the names 'Master' and 'Slave.' If they knew what they were talking about, they would have dismissed the complaint.
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This is my opinion; you do not have to agree but you do have to be intelligent.
These people obviously have no grasp of the English language. I call it "stubborn" and "ignorant" to proceed and go through "exahustive" efforts without putting the effort enough to learn English when their own actions make it painfully obvious. It's like trying to tell Einstein that E=MC^2 is wrong because eggs do not come from two moo-cows and hoping the rest of the world is stupid enough to agree.
Originally posted by: ronnn
Hate to say it, but I can see how it could be found offensive. Certainly not a part of the human experience to be proud of. Besides if as all of you say it shouldn't matter, why all the resistance to change? Why not call them George Bush - Tony Blair
The word "slave" is the issue we have because
the word is not what is offensive. That's the events in human history you're thinking about. The word existed before. How can someone be offended by correct use of the word? Either you mean you can see how morons assume that "slave" refers back to one major historical era or you yourself assume its origins to be the same. Life is slave to the Sun and the Earth. Machinery is slave to mankind. Even animals. Horses and dogs have "masters." "Equal rights" has no place here. The word currently exists, has a defined meaning and that's that. It is not "slang" There is no reason to use a different word when a perfectly adequate word exists. That's just childish.
Originally posted by: ronnn
Still do not see the big problem with changing names. If a certain name brings up uncomfortable or negative and offensive connotations for some group - don't use it. This has nothing to do with making a negative comment on the self centered, white american male.
Wrong wrong wrong wrong. "Feelings" didn't write the dictionary. Words do not fall into disuse or become "bad" because someone used them to negatively describe a group.
Originally posted by: ronnn
Originally posted by: Duvie
WE NEED TO SEE WHO ARE THE REAL RACIST HERE......
Changing the name of an electrical component is a racial attack on who?
(If thought of as an identity) The English language!
So I guess every word that has ever been used for anything negative looses all meaning and should be stricken from the dictionary so future generations can never understand our written history? WORDS are used to DESCRIBE things people. You use them well and they may catch on creating a generally accepted new use and new definition but the old definition will still have the higher number in the dictionary.
I'M OFFENDED THAT CIVILIZATION USED THE WORD SLAVERY TO DESCRIBE THE HUMAN INJUSTICE THAT TOOK PLACE IN THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD! THE WORD "SLAVE" IS WHAT OFFENDS ME! NOT THE INJUSTICE ITSELF! THE WORD SHOULD BE STRICKEN FROM ALL FURTHER USE BECAUSE OF WHAT IT WAS USED TO DESCRIBE IN THE PAST!