Matthew Ahrens (), one of the two original authors of the ZFS file system, the source code of OpenZFS (ZFS on Linux) from the usage of the word 'slave', which is now viewed as politically incorrect. According to Matthew, the consequences of human slavery continue to affect society, and in modern times, the term 'slave' in computer programs is an additional reminder of unpleasant human experiences.
Instead of the term 'slave', ZFS now uses the word 'dependent'. Among the visible changes, we can note the renaming of the script zpool.d/slaves, which is now called 'dm-deps', analogous to 'dmsetup deps'. Instead of ‘slave devices’, the documentation and informational messages now use the phrase ‘dependent (underlying) devices’. In the header file 'freebsd/spl/sys/dkio.h', the parameter dki_slave has simply been removed from the structure dk_cinfo without providing a replacement. Instead of the command 'zpool iostat -vc slaves', it is now suggested to use 'zpool iostat -vc size'.
Links to the directory '/sys/class/block/$dev/slaves' have been preserved, as the name of this directory in the sysfs hierarchy is determined by the Linux kernel and is not subject to change by OpenZFS developers. This directory can be avoided since the same information can be obtained through the command 'dmsetup deps', but running dmsetup requires elevated privileges, while the directory in /sys/ is readable by any user.
Let us recall that a week ago, the terms whitelist/blacklist and master/slave by the developers of the Go language, and prior to that, the use of master/slave in the code was rejected by projects , , , , , and . In the BIND DNS server, the terms 'primary/secondary' are now preferred over 'master/slave'. Interestingly, on GitHub, the number of opponents slightly outweighs the supporters of renaming: 42 developers approved the change, while 48 expressed opposition. Proponents of removing the word 'slave' believe that the use of this term is unacceptable, as it makes some people feel marginalized and evokes memories of past discrimination. In society, the mentioned word has begun to be considered offensive and draws condemnation.
The IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force), which is responsible for developing internet protocols and architecture, alternatives to the terms 'whitelist/blacklist' and 'master/slave', preferred for use in specifications — instead of 'master/slave', it is recommended to use 'primary/secondary', 'leader/follower',
'active/standby',
'primary/replica',
'writer/reader',
'coordinator/worker' or
'parent/helper', and instead of 'blacklist/whitelist' — 'blocklist/allowlist' or 'block/permit'.
Notably, on GitHub, the number of opponents slightly outweighs the supporters of the renaming: 42 developers approved the change, while 48 expressed opposition. Advocates for removing the term "slave" argue that its usage is unacceptable, as it makes some individuals feel marginalized and evokes memories of past discrimination. In society, this term has begun to be considered offensive and invites condemnation.
Opponents of the renaming argue that politics and programming should not be mixed; these are merely terms with established meanings in computer technology, and the negative connotation is imposed by artificial notions of political correctness that hinder the use of plain English. The word 'slave' is multifaceted and encompasses several meanings that are context-dependent. Without content, words have no significance, and the term is only offensive if the context is offensive. The term 'slave' has been used in computer systems for nearly 50 years and is understood in IT as 'secondary', not 'slave'. If we allow for a distortion of context, any word could be taken out of context, presented in a twisted sense, and framed as offensive.
Source: opennet.ru
