this post was submitted on 30 Aug 2026
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[–] gastroglizzy@piefed.social 68 points 2 days ago (3 children)

Don't forget all the master/slave terminology

[–] afk_strats@lemmy.world 38 points 2 days ago (4 children)

Tbf, we're trying to get away from that one

[–] kibiz0r@midwest.social 16 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Has there been “slave” anywhere for a while? The last time I can think is PATA, which is ancient by now.

It seems like most (all?) uses of “master” these days are in the sense of a “master copy”, which doesn’t really have a “master/slave” dynamic to it.

[–] UnfortunateShort@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago

Yep, gotta work with that on a daily basis because its in the protocol I have to work with.

[–] gastroglizzy@piefed.social 13 points 2 days ago

Yeah, I've heard. I've always associated the terms with dom/sub play, not slavery.

I get the reasoning as to why, but it seems odd to me that the IT terms were fixated on, but not the engineering terms; "master" and "slave" are still the accepted terms in the context of hydraulic systems, for example.

It's also generally accepted that "retard" and "retarded" are generally acceptable terms when used in an engineering context. If we can accept that some terms are accepted in the a technical context, it seems inconsistent not to apply the same thinking to IT terminology.

Just more stuff to keep us bickering with each other so we don't look up and realize where all the real problems are coming from, imo.

[–] aburrito@sh.itjust.works 14 points 2 days ago (1 children)

And I’m so glad, and my boomer coworkers still complain

[–] ILikeBoobies@lemmy.ca 12 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I don't see the issue but I find Dom/Sub better anyway.

[–] libewa@feddit.org 10 points 2 days ago

USB-OTG should just have been named USB Power Bottom. That makes USB-Type-C the embodiment of a switch.

[–] Valmond@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 2 days ago (3 children)

I use main instead of master on git, but what's the substitute to slave? Especially in master/slave setups like you have 1 processor controlling a bunch of measuring equipment for example.

[–] smeg@feddit.uk 7 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I've seen controller/worker which seems pretty descriptive

[–] Valmond@lemmy.dbzer0.com 9 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Manager/wageslave 😁😌😒

It's not easy.

[–] smeg@feddit.uk 4 points 2 days ago

I think I've seen leader/follower too

[–] 5opn0o30@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] Scrollone@feddit.it 1 points 22 hours ago

Honestly, master/slave sounds so much better. But, well, slavery has been abolished centuries ago in my country, unlike the US

[–] jdr@lemmy.ml 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Master in git is like master record, nothing to do with slaves

[–] Valmond@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

It sure is, it's the master branch that rules over all other branches.

[–] jdr@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 day ago

You're the master of lies

[–] Equinox1289@sh.itjust.works 23 points 2 days ago (3 children)

Or the process terminology: "How to kill parent?" "How to spawn child?" "How to terminate zombie child?" Kinda forked if you ask me.

[–] Carrot@lemmy.today 17 points 2 days ago (1 children)

My worst search was "How to kill orphaned child" I didn't even think about how it sounded until I saw it typed out in the search box lol

I think the go-to option is an elaborate death trap that will prove to be easily escapable in the next episode.

[–] libewa@feddit.org 5 points 2 days ago

If the parent was waiting on the child, it is notified of the exit status and the child dies immediately. ~ man exit(3)

[–] Aids@lemmy.ml 3 points 2 days ago

I c wut u did there