- In programming speak, "master" refers to the main version of code that controls the "slaves," or the replicas.
- Software companies had already been working to drop such references, but worldwide demonstrations organized to protest systemic racism have introduced a newfound sense of urgency.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories .
GitHub, the world's largest site for hosting open-source software, is working to replace the terms "master" and "slave" in code, as the Black Lives Matter movement continues to have a widespread ripple effect.
The Microsoft-owned coding site GitHub is dropping the term "master" from its systems as the Black Lives Matter movement continues to hold companies accountable.
According to BBC , GitHub CEO Nat Friedman said the company which is used by 50 million developers is changing the term to a neutral one. In programming speak, "master" refers to the main version of code that controls other processes, which are known as slaves. Replacements could be "main" for "master" or "replica" for "slave."
As the BBC notes, news of GitHub's change came on Twitter when Friedman replied to Google Chrome developer Una Kravets, who suggested it.
Friedman replied, "It's a great idea and we are already working on this!"
Software companies have been working to distance themselves from such references for years now, but the worldwide protests being held in response to police brutality and systemic racism have ushered in a fresh sense of urgency.
Tech companies especially have long struggled to foster diverse workforces and cultures, a problem that holding onto such terms could exacerbate, as Telegraph notes.
"If it makes even one person feel less isolated and uncomfortable, why not make the change?" Kravets wrote on Twitter. "The tech community is already lacking black and latinx voices."
NOW WATCH: Why electric planes haven't taken off yet
See Also:
- The "FAANG'' tech giants recovered fast from the share price plunge due to COVID-19, but that rebound for Apple, Alphabet, and Facebook defies logic, a longtime tech investor says
- IBM wins praise for halting sales of its facial recognition tech, but experts say it may have left itself a loophole
- How to schedule an email in Microsoft Outlook on your PC or Mac computer