Editing Master–slave (technology) (section)

== Controversy ==
{{globalize|section|date=December 2023}}

Media analytics company [[Global Language Monitor]] placed ''master/slave'' first in their annual list of politically charged language for 2004.<ref>{{Citation |date= December 2, 2004 |title = 'Master/slave' named most politically incorrect term |publisher= Seattle PI |url= http://www.seattlepi.com/national/article/Master-slave-named-most-politically-incorrect-1161133.php |quote="We found 'master/slave' to be the most egregious example of political correctness in 2004," said Paul JJ Payack, president of The Global Language Monitor.}}</ref> The [[Black Lives Matter]] movement in the United States sparked renewed discussion, and terminology changes occurred in 2020.<ref name="zdnet-2020" /> Some argued, however, that terminology changes were superficial [[performative activism]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shankland |first=Stephen|date=2020-06-10 |title=Tech terms face scrutiny amid anti-racism efforts |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/master-and-slave-tech-terms-face-scrutiny-amid-anti-racism-efforts/ |access-date=2020-07-06 |website=CNET |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Wired" /> 

Various alternate and generally context sensitive terms have been proposed including:<ref name="zdnet-2020"/><ref name="Wired" /><ref name="i2c-spec">{{cite web |url=https://docs.kernel.org/i2c/summary.html |title=Introduction to I2C and SMBus |series=The Linux Kernel documentation |work=Linux Kernel Organization |access-date=May 5, 2025 |quote=In earlier I2C specifications, controller was named 'master' and target was named 'slave'. These terms have been obsoleted with v7 of the specification...use the inclusive terms: controller and target.}}</ref><ref name="zdnet-2" /><ref>{{cite web |title=A Resolution to Redefine SPI Signal Names |date=7 January 2022 |url=https://www.oshwa.org/a-resolution-to-redefine-spi-signal-names/ |publisher=[[Open Source Hardware Association]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Stoicescu |first=Alin |title=Getting Started with Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) |url=https://onlinedocs.microchip.com/pr/GUID-EF58F3A9-B49B-4C31-A7EC-B71EBB831870-en-US-5/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231221205244/https://onlinedocs.microchip.com/pr/GUID-EF58F3A9-B49B-4C31-A7EC-B71EBB831870-en-US-5/index.html |archive-date=2023-12-21 |access-date=2023-12-21 |website=[[Microchip Technology]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Leader and Followers |url=https://martinfowler.com/articles/patterns-of-distributed-systems/leader-follower.html |access-date=2024-04-11 |website=martinfowler.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/aix/7.1?topic=models-masterslave-model |title=Documentation: AIX version 7.1: Master/Slave Model |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=2020 |website=[[ibm.com]] |access-date=30 October 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/style-guide/a-z-word-list-term-collections/m/master-slave |title=Microsoft Writing Style Guide: master/slave |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=24 June 2022 |website=[[microsoft.com]] |access-date=30 October 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) Devices |url=https://www.nxp.com/products/interfaces/ic-spi-i3c-interface-devices/spi-interface-devices:SPI |access-date=2025-01-29 |website=www.nxp.com}}</ref>

* host-client
* primary-secondary
* main-replica or subordinate
* initiator-target
* requester-responder
* controller-target or device
* host-worker or proxy
* leader-follower
* director-performer
* boss-worker
* primary-replica
* principal-agent
* controller-worker
* primary-subordinate
* dom-sub

===Notable events===

In 2003, after receiving a discrimination complaint from a county employee, the [[County of Los Angeles]] in [[California]] asked that manufacturers, suppliers and contractors stop using ''master'' and ''slave'' terminology on products.<ref name="CNN">{{cite web |date= November 26, 2003 |title= 'Master' and 'slave' computer labels unacceptable, officials say |publisher= [[CNN]] |url= http://edition.cnn.com/2003/TECH/ptech/11/26/master.term.reut/ |access-date= January 2, 2014 |archive-date= November 12, 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201112020617/http://edition.cnn.com/2003/TECH/ptech/11/26/master.term.reut/ |url-status= dead }}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title= Master/Slave |date= 9 December 2007 |publisher= [[Snopes]] |url= http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/outrage/master.asp}}</ref> Following complaints, the County of Los Angeles issued a statement saying that the decision was "nothing more than a request".<ref name=CNN /> 

In 2018, after a heated debate, developers of [[Python programming language|Python]] replaced the term.<ref name="vice.com" /> Python switched to ''main'', ''parent'', and ''server''; and ''worker'', ''child'', and ''helper'', depending on context.<ref name="vice.com" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=Issue 34605: Avoid master/slave terminology - Python tracker|url=https://bugs.python.org/issue34605|access-date=2020-07-13|website=bugs.python.org}}</ref> The [[Linux kernel]] adopted a similar policy to use more specific terms in new code and documentation.<ref name="zdnet-2">{{cite news |last1=Cimpanu |first1=Catalin |title=Linux team approves new terminology, bans terms like 'blacklist' and 'slave' |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/linux-team-approves-new-terminology-bans-terms-like-blacklist-and-slave/ |work=ZDNet |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Microsoft |url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/style-guide/a-z-word-list-term-collections/m/master-slave |title=master/slave |work=Microsoft Style Guide |date=June 24, 2022}}</ref>

In July 2018, [[Google]]'s developer [[style guide]] was updated to include avoiding the term ''master'' in software documentation, especially in combination with ''slave.'' Instead, the guide recommends terms --when in combination -- such as ''primary/secondary'' and ''original/replica''; Many individual variants of master and slave are given.<ref>{{cite web |title=Google Developer Style Guide |url=https://developers.google.com/style/word-list}}</ref> 

In 2020, GitHub renamed the default ''master'' [[git]] branch to ''main''.<ref name="zdnet-2020">{{cite web |last1=Cimpanu |first1=Catalin |title=GitHub to replace "master" with alternative term to avoid slavery references |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/github-to-replace-master-with-alternative-term-to-avoid-slavery-references/ |website=ZDNet |access-date=3 November 2022 |language=en |date=14 June 2020}}</ref>