GitLab latest to ditch 'master' as default initial branch name: It's now simply called 'main'
- Reference: 1615471327
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2021/03/11/gitlab_main/
- Source link:
The default branch name for new projects for GitLab.com and self-managed users is to be updated from master to main .
[2]
GitHub announced it would be [3]doing the same for its hosted repos back in June 2020. Shortly after, the Software Freedom Conservancy and the Git project [4]posted that the group were "aware that the initial branch name, 'master', is offensive to some people and we empathize with those hurt by the use of that term."
Git went on to introduce a configuration option to allow users to choose something other than master for a default name and the project's maintainers have continued working towards a permanent change.
[5]
GitHub to replace master with main across its services [6]READ MORE
Atlassian's BitBucket [7]made the change from master in June 2020 and by October 2020 the default for newly created repositories in GitHub [8]was main .
GitLab had already rolled out the changes necessary to allow users to change the default at both the instance level (for self-managed users) and the group level (which adds SaaS into the mix) if the user wishes. Things are to be nudged on a bit; the default branch name will be changed to main at the end of a two-phase process, culminating with the release of GitLab 14.0 on 22 May.
Users wedded to the term master will still be able to configure a custom default branch name for their projects.
Also being changed to main is the default branch name for the GitLab project itself, along with related projects.
It's the latest step in the movement to drop the use of loaded language in the tech industry, and there is still quite some way to go. While the likes of [9]Redis and Python have made efforts to step away from the terms "master" and "slave", the phrases (and those like it) have been embedded over generations of IT professionals when, for example, discussing the finer points of replication.
[10]
Unpicking problematic terminology is therefore going to be a lengthy and controversial process, of which GitLab's change (if a little behind its competitors) is just the latest step. ®
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[1] https://about.gitlab.com/blog/2021/03/10/new-git-default-branch-name/
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/devops&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YEpMqRqSMam9nVY53lJB4AAAAIE&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://www.theregister.com/2020/06/15/github_replaces_master_with_main
[4] https://sfconservancy.org/news/2020/jun/23/gitbranchname/
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/devops&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YEpMqRqSMam9nVY53lJB4AAAAIE&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2020/06/15/github_replaces_master_with_main/
[7] https://bitbucket.org/blog/moving-away-from-master-as-the-default-name-for-branches-in-git
[8] https://github.blog/changelog/2020-10-01-the-default-branch-for-newly-created-repositories-is-now-main/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2018/09/13/redis_master_slave/
[10] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/devops&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YEpMqRqSMam9nVY53lJB4AAAAIE&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[11] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Historically, "Master" in the 12th century was the person who was educated to the highest level at a "university", generally taught those seeking knowledge (before anything such as Professor existed) and often ran the establishment. It is still used in such contexts as "school master" and "Master of all he surveys" neither of which are related to later use.
I do think this affair is taking the literal meaning of words too far ... and by affair I didn't mean the person suggesting this change was sleeping with his mistress ... although of course he did actually sleep there wouldn't be an issue ... no, not that type of issue ... oh this is (non-mathematically) complex :-)
I wonder if universities are going to change the name of Master's degrees (e.g. MSc), and if so what to?
In me yoof...
It was the case that any young male was called Master, like young females were called Mistress or Miss.
I really do agree that this feels like a complete over-reaction and "taking insult on other people's behalf", especially since master really does have so many different meanings. IMHO it's only when directly paired with "slave" that the meaning could be construed, by some sensitive souls, as offensive.
#sigh#
RE: Master / slave
OK, I will agree initially with the premise that it seems a bit inane in regards to this topic, but exactly who was responsible for the initial choice? Since when did "Master / slave" become a more acceptable default programming choice over "Main / sub"?? It's called "subroutine", not "slaveroutine", after all; "branch" is a more classic programming description than "slave" ever was.
The "master / slave" terminology was certainly injected into programming way, way later than any main / sub / branch terminology, as "master" or "slave" only referred to hardware configurations and never software (e.g., pre-IDE HDD interfaces) when I was being schooled.
Re: RE: Master / slave
It comes from the [1]radial engine and probably the windmill before that.
In truth 'main' is probably going to win out in the end just for saving two characters. So how about we settle the differences and call it the top branch?
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radial_engine
Re: RE: Master / slave
It's ironic that a similar slavery related (or extremely obscene) tagline appears lower down the El Reg headlines page ... "Nitty gritty" is far worse in my mind than master/slave yet it appears acceptable to use it in common parlance ...
Re: nitty gritty
Well, this link
https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/nitty-gritty.html
disagrees with the slavery angle you suggest, but then it's just a thing thrown up by a quick search. Have you any more information?
Re: nitty gritty
Information?
Once the offence-taking industry gets hold of it they don't need information. If they say it's bad then it's bad by definition.
I wouldn't normally be in favour of an Academie Français approach to language definition but it really seems that we need one to stop English from being stolen. Although if there was one I can guess the sorts of people who'd consider themselves entitled to run it.
Re: RE: Master / slave
I don't expect the BDSM crowd to go for any such renaming of Master/Mistress
Nope...
"But Doctor, I am *dum dum duuummm* the MAIN" just doesn't have the same kind of ring to it.
---> Because it's a Thursday...
For those of us in the S&M community I always liked seeing these terms in vanilla situations
Or the Pastry community
Master baker?
Re: Or sports
Winning the Mains doesn't sound as impressive
Aargh...
Need I say more?
So: "master craftsman" -> "master crafts person" -> "main crafts person"?
Doesn't the final change alter the meaning?
Unpicking problematic terminology is therefore going to be a lengthy and controversial process
It's going to be an interminable process, as someone is likely to be found who will object to almost anything (particularly on behalf of someone else they haven't consulted) and there are nigh on half a million words to potentially object to in English alone. Unless of course the holier than thou brigade get bored sooner. But in the meantime a lot of "legacy" code is going to get broken.
Re: Unpicking problematic terminology is therefore going to be a lengthy and controversial process
Then nust make those conversations impossible, newspeak style.
"legacy"
I'm sure there's a good reason why "legacy" should also be given the chop.
Sorry, "chop" is now considered violent. That should have been:
I'm sure there's a good reason why "legacy" should also be purged.
Hmm. Am I allowed to use "purged"?
Who knew?
Who knew it would be so easy to solve all the problems of racism by something so simple?
So how do we differentiate the code module that contains the main() function?
But no matter, lets just have another ambiguous term.
"Git"?
Doesn't anyone object to that?
We did it anyway...
We have started creating all new repos with main as the primary branch - it's nothing to do with slavery or wokeness or not much else... (although I do at least understand part of that argument, even if not necessarily agreeing with it).
I find myself on the git cli quite a bit and typing
"git checkout main" rather than "git checkout master"
is just a smidge more convenient.
I understand change is difficult - but this one can be as gradual as you need it to be and if that has a knock-on benefit of of upsetting a few less people. Why not?!
Re: We did it anyway...
> I find myself on the git cli quite a bit and typing "git checkout main" rather than "git checkout master" is just a smidge more convenient.
What is far far less convenient, however, is that if one has to deal with a lot of repositories from various eras and sources, one now has to remember what the "main" branch is called for every repository. It could be `master`, it could be `main`, it could be `meister`, `mester`, `hoved`, or perhaps just `m`.
In answer to GitLab
Yes, Master! Your wish is my command, Master!
"git" is also a derogatory term and offensive to some (Lilly livered simpletons of dubious discernment)
The inanity of this type of thing is stunning.
Yes, I comprehend the 'master/slave' thing but MASTER has many meanings and only one pertains to slavery .. something clearly corporate identity politicians are ignorant of it see.