[PLUG] Block-list, Pass--list

[james at bertelson.me]

The etymology of the terms white and black list have absolutely nothing 
to do with today's hyperracialized politics.

James

On 2021-07-22 16:55, Keith Lofstrom wrote:
> This might be a "plug-talk" subject, but it will affect
> how we write and use and archive Linux code, so it belongs
> on this list, practically speaking.
> 
> I've used the terms "black-list" and "white-list" for half
> a century.  I just realized those terms are ideologically
> incorrect, and will derail a discussion, sooner or later.
> 
> A little googling revealed alternatives.
> 
> An obvious (and technically more accurate) replacement for
> "black-list" is "BLOCK-list".  A bit of work to relearn,
> but trivial to implement technically.  When I forget and
> mistakenly say "black", I can pretend you misheard me :-)
> 
> "WHITE-list" is harder, many more variants in play.
> "Allow-list" is one alternative (same number of letters);
> "Pass-list" is faster to say (same number of syllables).
> 
> Maybe "Pass--list" is optimum, since cut-and-paste changes
> checksums but not line and file lengths.
> 
> I bring this up now, and here, because I would like to
> resolve this and practice making the change before some
> politically-correct pecksniff derails a technical
> discussion.  Virtue signalling has its place (plug-talk),
> but I hope we can make this transition together, without
> rancor, maintaining focus on technical virtuosity instead.
> 
> Let's discuss this /technically/ here, /virtuously/ on
> plug-talk.  When we decide what to do, TOGETHER, how do we
> propagate it through millions of lines of code written by
> thousands over decades?
> 
> Keith
> 
> P.S. Genetically, I am "very-dilute-black".  Many people
> with southern-US ancestors are.  Some west-African genes
> protect against malaria, endemic in the antebellum south.
> Linux systems were used to discover this.  References
> available off-list; discuss on plug-talk.
> 
> --
> Keith Lofstrom          keithl at keithl.com

--
James Bertelson
james at bertelson.me
:wq