master and slave

[low_delta]

I don't get it. http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/ptech/11/26/master.term.reut/index.html

LOS ANGELES, California (Reuters) -- Los Angeles officials have asked that manufacturers, suppliers and contractors stop using the terms "master" and "slave" on computer equipment, saying such terms are unacceptable and offensive.

The request -- which has some suppliers furious and others busy re-labeling components -- came after an unidentified worker spotted a videotape machine carrying devices labeled "master" and "slave" and filed a discrimination complaint with the county's Office of Affirmative Action Compliance.

In the computer industry, "master" and "slave" are used to refer to primary and secondary hard disk drives. The terms are also used in other industries.

"Based on the cultural diversity and sensitivity of Los Angeles County, this is not an acceptable identification label," Joe Sandoval, division manager of purchasing and contract services, said in a memo sent to County vendors.

Notice that the article doesn't state exactly why people are getting upset by the labels. It is a slave. Slavery is wrong in regards to people. But these aren't people! "Oh no! The poor disk drive has to do whatever the other one tells it to do without pay!"

I think they just want to pretend slavery never existed. It did and it does. Remember that.

Comments

This is outrageous.

[the-99th-aisle.livejournal.com]

The thing that really gets to me is that somebody actually got offended by this. For crying out loud! Walk out on the street and see a homeless family begging for pocket change. See our forests being chopped to bits and our air being polluted with the exhaust from thousands of gas-guzzling SUVs. See photographs of our young soldiers who have been disfigured, maimed, and killed in the name of an evil, unjustifiable war. These are things worthy of offense. These are things that should make people stand up and write letters of protest. Oh, I'm sorry. You saw a bad word and it hurt your feelings? DEAL WITH IT.

[cynnerth.livejournal.com]

I get embarrassed hearing about male and female cable connectors. They should abolish that too.

[the-99th-aisle.livejournal.com]

Well said! That made me laugh.

I had a professor who used to call his wife "female unit." As in "Fetch my slippers, female unit!"

[vlinker.livejournal.com]

and here, i thought that LA officials were just ultra-right anti-BDSM folk........

[vyoma.livejournal.com]

Heheheh... nah, I think this is because the terms "master" and "slave" are used to describe the participants in a dominant/submissive, sado-masochist relationship. As I understand it, the officials weren't worried about slavery so much as an unpalatable alternative sexuality.

Oh, BTW, I added you back. :)