'Master' and 'slave': Tech terms face scrutiny amid anti-racism efforts

[Simon]

But even in the recent climate, Hackaday still got such a backlash on this that they had to lock the comments thread.

I get the impression that everyone that has tried to have a debate has locked it because they can't deal with people being sentient and not their slaves.

[EEVblog]

Good example is OpenSSL, when they started to screw up, immediately appeared LibreSSL, BoringSSL. I guess same have to be applied to OSHW now.

Yep, absolutely nothing stopping anyone from say taking my Creative Commons style OSHW logo idea and forming another "certification" body that issues certification numbers for projects that don't meet or don't like the existing OSHW association rules.
Wouldn't surprise me if the OSHW associated get a troll project submitted called Master/Slave Tester or something with gigantic MISO and MOSI labels plasters over the silkscreen just to see if they'd say anything.

[PlainName]

The most important thing is not to overdo it, otherwise it will turn into a self-oscillating process and might even resonate, destroying industry further.

Don't worry: you gesture of not buying any of their stuff won't be noticed. It's so unnoticeable it won't even be noise within the noise of their small change. Which is how the likes of Facebook and Google get away with all the stuff they do - dissenting voices are swamped by those that just don't give a shit.

[Nominal Animal]

[nuclearcat]

The most important thing is not to overdo it, otherwise it will turn into a self-oscillating process and might even resonate, destroying industry further.

Don't worry: you gesture of not buying any of their stuff won't be noticed. It's so unnoticeable it won't even be noise within the noise of their small change. Which is how the likes of Facebook and Google get away with all the stuff they do - dissenting voices are swamped by those that just don't give a shit.

Me alone - definitely wont make even a dent.
But, industry is small enough to notice such things, if at least some percent of people listen and follow idea.
Especially it is small in specific fields. Seon with just 14K subscribers, number that look insignificant first, have huge importance on PCBA market - and turns out he can easily ruin PNP manufacturer business.
Also, people communicate, ask advice each other. Especially in quite conservative and careful industry like EE.
Another thing, guess what will be painful for the company. Lose 0.1% of hysterical guys who are constantly in conflict with everyone around them, demand to change everything for their stupid ideas, or lose 0.1% of real talents, enthusiasts who is calm, but its enough for them, and they decide of this stop, or they will find a more peaceful place.
If the choice is only losing that 0.1% of SJW bees who generate honey mixed with shit, then naturally the company will obey aggressive minority, as "others dont mind".
But when they know it is 1% versus 1%, then those who are more valuable are chosen, or they seek for some compromise, if it is possible.

[Zero999]

I'd love to start some sort of anti-woke/PC/censorship campaign, but my greatest fear would be it being hihacked by the far-right groups such as the English Defence League and KKK. There needs to be a strong, sensible, centrist group to deal with this idiots.

[EEVblog]

Another thing, guess what will be painful for the company. Lose 0.1% of hysterical guys who are constantly in conflict with everyone around them, demand to change everything for their stupid ideas, or lose 0.1% of real talents, enthusiasts who is calm, but its enough for them, and they decide of this stop, or they will find a more peaceful place.

Companies won't even lose the 0.1% of hysterical SJW customers because, and I know this is a radical concept, they don't have to say a word about any social or political issues, and no one will think less of any company for doing that.
Did any of the companies involved in this have to say anything or take a position? No, they didn't. I greatly doubt you'd find a single example of where a single SJW demanded that Company X share there position on this issue. They did it entirely voluntarily 

[EEVblog]

I'd love to start some sort of anti-woke/PC/censorship campaign, but my greatest fear would be it being hihacked by the far-right groups such as the English Defence League and KKK. There needs to be a strong, sensible, centrist group to deal with this idiots.

Ridicule often works wonders.

[SilverSolder]

if the silent majority is clearly against

How do you know they're against if they're silent?

More likely - they clearly don't care! 

As always, it is best to just wait this one out until it dies from natural causes...

[PlainName]

Not obviously electronics related but shows just how sensitive this has become:

https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-53497347

On Monday, US DJ The Black Madonna announced she would go by the name The Blessed Madonna after a petition was launched for her to change it.

The producer, whose real name is Marea Stamper, revealed on Twitter that her chosen name was "a reflection of my family's lifelong and profound Catholic devotion to a specific kind of European icon of the Virgin Mary which is dark in hue".

However, she added she "should have listened harder to other perspectives".

So nothing whatever to do with race but she had to change it anyway.

Also:

Chart-topping US country-pop group Lady Antebellum changed to Lady A because Antebellum has connotations with the slavery era.

Eh? Had to look that one up:

adjective [attributive] occurring or existing before a particular war, especially the US Civil War: the conventions of the antebellum South.

"Don't mention the war!" That's a rather tenuous connection, and the origin is apparently "mid 19th century: from Latin, from ante ‘before’ and bellum ‘war’, so any connection to slavery or race, no matter how remote or misguided, is now fair game.

[MK14]

Basically, this Master/Slave stuff, seems to be similar to what happened around 2007/9, some 12 years ago, and longer.
As well as the N******r banned word, there was also G******g (which I think has a long history).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golliwog

EDIT; Revised a lot. Left extract and details, within wiki, if anyone is interested.

[coppice]

Chart-topping US country-pop group Lady Antebellum changed to Lady A because Antebellum has connotations with the slavery era.

Antebellum just means before the war, and the US has so many of those to choose from.

[madires]

Chart-topping US country-pop group Lady Antebellum changed to Lady A because Antebellum has connotations with the slavery era.

Antebellum just means before the war, and the US has so many of those to choose from.

Or choose a classic one: De bello Gallico by Julius Caesar

[TimFox]

In American language usage, "antebellum" usually signifies "before the Civil War", as in antebellum plantation architecture.  "Pre-war" in American real-estate usage usually means "before World War II".  Obviously, the literal meanings are identical (one Latin, the other English), just as are "supervisor" and "overseer".  Usage is a more subtle issue.  With a longer history, and more wars, European references will be different, since nobody remembers the War of the Austrian Succession anymore.
"And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet."  Gospel according to St Matthew, 24:6.

[maginnovision]

https://www.rollingstone.com/pro/news/lady-antebellum-lady-a-country-blues-1013919/

Lady Antebellum changes name to Lady A which was already taken by a blues artist. Lady antebellum is an all white group and Lady A is a single black woman. Literally, trying to look good, caused harm to a person they would identify as a member of the group they're trying not to harm.

“I’m not about to stop using my name. For them to not even reach out is pure privilege” — Anita White, known professionally as Lady A

[james_s]

I'd love to start some sort of anti-woke/PC/censorship campaign, but my greatest fear would be it being hihacked by the far-right groups such as the English Defence League and KKK. There needs to be a strong, sensible, centrist group to deal with this idiots.

That's the problem, the right wing is immediately going to latch onto something like that and pretty soon you've got a shitstorm on your hands and have unwittingly become some sort of conservative martyr. Once you've been associated with a radical group it's hard to distance yourself.

[vodka]

I'd love to start some sort of anti-woke/PC/censorship campaign, but my greatest fear would be it being hihacked by the far-right groups such as the English Defence League and KKK. There needs to be a strong, sensible, centrist group to deal with this idiots.

There already are anti-woke groups , but they are constantly margined . Here , there is a video about BLM sufficient centrist( i believe).


https://youtu.be/BzT1iRq8nZk

[Simon]

I'd love to start some sort of anti-woke/PC/censorship campaign, but my greatest fear would be it being hihacked by the far-right groups such as the English Defence League and KKK. There needs to be a strong, sensible, centrist group to deal with this idiots.

That's the problem, the right wing is immediately going to latch onto something like that and pretty soon you've got a shitstorm on your hands and have unwittingly become some sort of conservative martyr. Once you've been associated with a radical group it's hard to distance yourself.

that is how polarization happens, each extreme thinks they are right so go as hard as it as they can just turning the other side against them and so you end up with extreme polarization of opinion with no ability to discuss things civilly

[Fred27]

It seems even a Lego helicopter isn't safe from cancellation: https://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2020/07/lego-helicopter-kit-cancelled-10-days-before-release/

[coppice]

It seems even a Lego helicopter isn't safe from cancellation: https://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2020/07/lego-helicopter-kit-cancelled-10-days-before-release/

Its strange that Lego would make a product like this. They have a long history of refusing to make militaristic toys.

[langwadt]

It seems even a Lego helicopter isn't safe from cancellation: https://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2020/07/lego-helicopter-kit-cancelled-10-days-before-release/

I can sorta understand why LEGO doesn't want to make modern military stuff, but this is just silly. It's a search and rescue,
and the same type of plane is also used to fight forest fires.

[PlainName]

From the article:

While the set clearly depicts how a rescue version of the plane might look, the aircraft is only used by the military.

[coppice]

From the article:

While the set clearly depicts how a rescue version of the plane might look, the aircraft is only used by the military.

I don't think the Osprey is capable of being used for search and rescue. Isn't its downdraft far too strong it to be able to hover and haul up victims safely?

[langwadt]

From the article:

While the set clearly depicts how a rescue version of the plane might look, the aircraft is only used by the military.

I don't think the Osprey is capable of being used for search and rescue. Isn't its downdraft far too strong it to be able to hover and haul up victims safely?

I don't see why it would be different than any other helicopter

[donotdespisethesnake]

https://www.rollingstone.com/pro/news/lady-antebellum-lady-a-country-blues-1013919/

Lady Antebellum changes name to Lady A which was already taken by a blues artist. Lady antebellum is an all white group and Lady A is a single black woman. Literally, trying to look good, caused harm to a person they would identify as a member of the group they're trying not to harm.

“I’m not about to stop using my name. For them to not even reach out is pure privilege” — Anita White, known professionally as Lady A

I would've guessed this was an onion spoof but it's real

Thanks for your "help", allies