There's always somebody with too much time on their hands...

[DVS]

LOS ANGELES (Feb. 26) - A county official has asked computer and video equipment vendors to consider eliminating the terms "master" and "slave" from equipment because they may be considered offensive.

AP file
Computer drives that work in tandem are often called "master" and "slave."

"Based on the cultural diversity and sensitivity of Los Angeles County, this is not an acceptable identification label," according to an e-mail sent to vendors on Nov. 18. The memo asks manufacturers, suppliers and contractors to change or remove any labels on components "that could be interpreted as discriminatory or offensive in nature."

The county's 39 departments also were told to identify equipment with offensive labels.

"We got a note back from IBM saying thank you for bringing this to our attention and we'll take a look at this," said Joe Sandoval, who wrote the memo. Sandoval is division manager of purchasing and contract services for the county's Internal Services Department.

The term "master" and "slave" - when applied to electronic equipment - describes one device controlling another.

In May, a black employee of the Probation department filed a discrimination complaint with the county Office of Affirmative Action Compliance after noticing the words on a videotape machine.

"This individual felt that it was offensive and inappropriate ... given the experiences that this country has gone through in respect to slavery," office director Dennis A. Tafoya said.

The issue was solved by putting tape over the labels and replacing "master" and "slave" with "primary" and "secondary," Tafoya said. Although Tafoya said his office did not find discrimination in the case, he added, "I think we constantly
need to be conscious of these issues."

Sandoval said the county is making a suggestion, not trying to dictate political correctness.

"Knowing that it's an industry standard, there's no way that I'm going to stop buying that eqipment," he said.

 

[DVS]

I've used electronic equipment for many years. Every piece has a name to be distinctive of its purpose. There are male distinctions and female distinctions as well as master and slave distinctions. I have never thought this naming process was related in any way to sex, racism, or anything other than to explain the way the product, connection or device works with other devices.

Music equipment, electronic testing equipment, video machines and products on down to consumer level have these distinctions.

I went thought electronics school, and these terms "Master" and "Slave" were never taught to be associated with anything racist or sexual in nature.

Musical connectors are all referenced as male and female, because of how one connects to another. I never have heard any snickering because of these terms. They are just to make it easier for everyone to understand and communicate which is which.

So, now after years and years of this, someone just woke up and decided this naming process is sexist and racist? And, is one person's wild hair going to force a change in the minds of every musician, technician and enduser in the world?

Master and Slave are terms used in many areas. With the advance of digital technology, these terms are used for a purpose. If you are an electronics technician, you know this purpose. It makes sense to use these words.

Slave traders also used these words. But, just because electronics engineers decided these were the best words to use because they were descriptive of the process they were naming doesn't mean they were meant signify some relationship to those past times.

There has to be a line drawn somewhere. Not just in situations such as this, but in many places where the world must watch how we are, because it may offend someone else.

I understand some correctness is good and necessary, but there are extremes where somebody needs to say enough is enough and the person offended is the one who should change. Not the rest of the world. At times, I don't think we are being politically correct any more. I think it is more about political insanity.

POLITICALLY CORRECT DISCLAIMER:
Sorry if I offended anyone with this thread. I just don't feel like being correct, today. Happy Thanksgiving (unless there is a need to be politically correct for the turkeys out there).

 

[James G 5]

I posted one about this in the Cafe
What a waste of time

 

[TulaneCowboy]

Next they'll be fussing about master and slave cylinders in transmissions. Stupidity runs rampant yet again.

 

[A Desert Rose]

Oh whew... I thought this thread was about James and me and our little snake dance last night.

 

[James G 5]

Oh whew... I thought this thread was about James and me and our little snake dance last night.

But you looked so CUTE wiggling out of the basket...

 

[catalina_francisco]

More ridiculous crap...my son tells me today someone is calling for those dealing in language concerning colours (painters, artists, everyone!!) to not use the word black as it is racist. So does that mean we also have to strike off white, red, and yellow as well...and if Martians come visit then green will go as well?!!

Catalina

 

[hurtme]

political correctness...what a bunch of bullshit...There are certian words i don't use...and i would prefer not to mention them here, but i am sure every will know when i say they are racial slang terms...but that is because I think they sound crude and I grew up with ignorant rednecks who used such words. HOWEVER it is NOT because political correctness is my concern. I am white, i am going to refer to myself as white, if it matters, in a conversation or something, and I am going to do the same for every other color, race, creed on the planet. I don't care if some ppl are hyper sensitive to it because they have been sheltered by the umbrella of political correctness...anyone who knows me would/should know that i don't harbor rasism, sexism, or any other ism...and nothing i say is meant to offend in that manner...if i wanted to offend someone I have much better ways to do so...
With that said, when the hell are ppl going to wake up and realize that instead of making the world a better place, they are only trying to make it uniform...and they are making ppl afraid to speak for fear of being accused of sexual harrasment, or racism, or general harrassment...it makes me so sick...

 

[JoseIsWild]

Let's see...I can't remember how long I've been seeing the terms 'master', 'slave', 'male', and 'female' in electronics. I'm an Electrical Engineer by the way so I see this all the time!!! My professors taught us using these terms and no one ever complained. They've been long established as a standard now. Why now are they complaining??

 

[catalina_francisco]

Let's see...I can't remember how long I've been seeing the terms 'master', 'slave', 'male', and 'female' in electronics. I'm an Electrical Engineer by the way so I see this all the time!!! My professors taught us using these terms and no one ever complained. They've been long established as a standard now. Why now are they complaining??

Likely because they have complained about everything else so figured in their boredom this was next on the list of their gripes with life. Maybe if they had less time on their hands they would be more constructive in their obvservations. One can only hope.

Catalina

 

[Netzach]

What pisses me the hell off about things like this is that it creates such a bitch of a time for the next person...who actually IS subjected to harrassing or defamatory situations....to say anything, or to be taken seriously.

It's fucking selfish and low, and someone's just trying to make a buck without any regard for other people who have to deal with their shitty aftermath.

 

[infinityoverzero]

My two seconds of nerd speak ... replacing "master" and "slave" with "primary" and "secondary" won't work in all situations, since some electronics (such as the hookups for hard drives or CD drives in computers) are designated in both terms. ie. A hard drive can be a "master" device on the "primary" channel.

I remember reading somewhere about plumbers having to change the name of "stopcocks" because it was offensive ...

 

[DVS]

I posted one about this in the Cafe
What a waste of time

OOPS. Sorry. I just checked this forum before starting my thread. I will go give yours a look.

Next they'll be fussing about master and slave cylinders in transmissions. Stupidity runs rampant yet again.

I'm quite sure there are many areas of commerce that have used potentially offensive terms, when you look at the way it's all going.

Didn't someone on this thread mention Master plumbers? What about Master builders? Master craftsmen? Now, what do we call them? Truly, the next generations will be lost in PCH (politically correct hell).

Let's see...I can't remember how long I've been seeing the terms 'master', 'slave', 'male', and 'female' in electronics...They've been long established as a standard now. Why now are they complaining??

Actually, all I've seen is one person has complained. But, where there's smoke, there's fire.

This is my take on this...Before now, it has always been professionals who saw electronic terms. Only after digital has come into the mainstream end user world, have these terms come along for the ride.

Now, because they have been such a major part of electronics (among other things), nobody even thought these terms might be offensive to someone. After all, we're talking about years and years with nobody complaining.

Only after these terms have started coming out in the consumer level products have they been seen by the "non-professional" and thus are seen as offensive. Before, professionals (and I'm including all races and colors in this, because there are professionals in all races and colors) were all that saw these terms and they knew there was no racism or sexism involved.

Like we have said before...there are reasons these terms work in the industry. If you don't understand this, maybe you shouldn't jump to conclusions.

What pisses me the hell off about things like this is that it creates such a bitch of a time for the next person...who actually IS subjected to harassing or defamatory situations.... to say anything, or to be taken seriously.

This is very true. If you are old enough to remember when George Carlin had an album out of "the 7 words you can't say on TV." Shit, piss, fuck, cunt, cocksucker, motherfucker and tits (I didn't remember them all. I had to look it up).

Never heard George's album? Here's an audio link.
www.npstuff.com/music - 7 words.html

Anyway, George has a point. If you are limited in the words you may use, you are also limited in how you can express yourself. If you are limited in your ability to express yourself, your potential as a human being is also being limited.

More ridiculous crap...my son tells me today someone is calling for those dealing in language concerning colours (painters, artists, everyone!!) to not use the word black as it is racist. So does that mean we also have to strike off white, red, and yellow as well...and if Martians come visit then green will go as well?!!

Catalina

When talking about paint and colors with pigment, black is the presence of all colors. White is the absence of all colors. To me, this would tend to make black more powerful than white, because of the presence of ALL colors.

But, when speaking in terms of light, black is the absence of all color and white is the presence of all color. So, I guess you can make your own judgements.

I guess we could start calling black paint opaque or liquorice, but there are surely already colors by these names. To calm the offended we would have to limit our vocabulary even more. In this case, fewer colors would also mean a less colorful language. We could end up with opaque 1, and opaque 2 and opaque 3 and opaque 4, etc. Or, maybe dark, darker and darkest?

My two seconds of nerd speak ... replacing "master" and "slave" with "primary" and "secondary" won't work in all situations, since some electronics (such as the hookups for hard drives or CD drives in computers) are designated in both terms. ie. A hard drive can be a "master" device on the "primary" channel.

I remember reading somewhere about plumbers having to change the name of "stopcocks" because it was offensive ...

Being a computer tech, I know what you are talking about. We will end up with a primary device on a primary channel, and a primary device on a secondary channel. Generations down the road will wonder why these terms were used, because they are so confusing. But wait! By then, it might be politically incorrect to bring the subject up for discussion!

POLITICAL DISCLAIMER(S):
Once again, I don't mean to offend anyone with my thoughts or words. I only mean to stir your mind into thinking out of the box...to those that don't want to be stirred...I'm sorry if I offend.

And, we should all remember it is only a few who are protesting these terms. Most everybody else is sensible enough to understand there was no intent to offend in the first place.

When will society learn that one offended person doesn't equal to millions having to change?

 

[James G 5]

My two seconds of nerd speak ... replacing "master" and "slave" with "primary" and "secondary" won't work in all situations, since some electronics (such as the hookups for hard drives or CD drives in computers) are designated in both terms. ie. A hard drive can be a "master" device on the "primary" channel.

I remember reading somewhere about plumbers having to change the name of "stopcocks" because it was offensive ...

That was in England...there're plumbing parts called "ballcocks" and "stopcocks" and such that were all re-named due to an outcry

 

[catalina_francisco]

Yet more of the ridiculous...wouldn't you think there were better uses to research time and money than producing this supposedly tongue in cheek report? http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=573&ncid=757&e=6&u=/nm/20031210/od_nm/rhymes_dc_1

Catalina

 

[DVS]

Yet more of the ridiculous...wouldn't you think there were better uses to research time and money than producing this supposedly tongue in cheek report? http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=573&ncid=757&e=6&u=/nm/20031210/od_nm/rhymes_dc_1

Catalina

It's sad how money is mis-spent on trivial reports, surveys, and all of the other stupid research that is done.

America isn't the only one to do it, but it does seem to be at the top of the list (non-researched comment).

I do know it is the bulk of the free world who generate the most stupid ones. I know there are some that need to be done, for the betterment of the world. But, honestly, some of this should be dropped. The world as a whole needs to wise up!

I heard most of these nursery rhymes, except of the one about the monkeys. I survived. I didn't think it was OK to go up the hill for water and fall down. Shit, everybody with common sense knows you will break your crown. (really, I think Jill must have pushed him!)

And, if you sit on a wall and fall off, you will sustain an injury. It's common sense. You don't need any money to figure that out.

How soon will it be that they ban Alice in Wonderland? After all, the queen is so violent when she repeatedly says "OFF WITH HER HEAD! OFF WITH HER HEAD!"

PC nursery rhymes? Is that what were up to?