RE: Replacing "master" and "slave" terminology

Subject: RE: Replacing "master" and "slave" terminology
From: "Butler, Darren J CTR USAF AFMC 584 CBSS/GBHAC" <Darren -dot- Butler -dot- ctr -at- Robins -dot- af -dot- mil>
To: <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Tue, 15 Apr 2008 12:12:24 -0400

My fellow Tech Comms,

Political Correctness in TW'ing is a bottomless pit.

I've tried manfully (person-fully?) to ignore the subject, but as one
whose self esteem might be "damaged" by these "oppressive" terms, I
gotta weigh-in on this one.



My profession is Technical Writing/Editing; my heritage is both African
*and* Hebrew; and I was born and raised below the U.S. Mason-Dixon Line.
The words "Master" and "Slave" - when used as technical terms - have
NEVER......EVER conjured up images of whips, chains, picking cotton or
building pyramids. I feel extremely patronized when someone considers my
skin to be so thin that such widely and historically accepted technical
terms as these would be offensive to me. Any technical author who went
through some of the contortions discussed in this thread - however
well-intentioned - to avoid being "insulting" would produce the opposite
result in my case and many others.



If Engineers were designing "Evil Oppressor Cylinders" and
"Disenfranchised Victim Cylinders" - well yes, I'd have a problem with
that, because it was both insulting and silly.



There are exceptions of course, such as gender neutrality, but even that
can get off in the weeds sometimes. I do agree that writing with
cultural understanding and common sense should govern, but for me, "PC"
stands for either Proper Communication or Poor Communication; anything
else does not belong in the realm of technical communication.



Thank to Yves Jeaurond, for reminding us that a word does not have the
same value in every topic. If anyone should understand this fact it'd
Technical Wordsmiths. Thank to John Posada, for reminding us where our
bread ($$) is buttered.



Respectfully,

Darren J. Butler

Senior Technical Publications Specialist

NG Corp





-----Original Message-----

From:
techwr-l-bounces+darren -dot- butler -dot- ctr=robins -dot- af -dot- mil -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+darren -dot- butler -dot- ctr=robins -dot- af -dot- mil -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot-
com] On Behalf Of Abels, Marci A [NTK]

Sent: Monday, April 14, 2008 9:49 AM

To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Subject: Re: Replacing "master" and "slave" terminology



I agree that master/slave is a good description, but, as pointed out
here already, it will get in the way of good communication for some of
the audience. I have used manager/contributor to describe this
relationship.





Marci Abels | Technical Writer II

Process Development & Documentation Center (PDDC)

Documentation - it's in our name, it's our function, it's our business

Network Services | Business Operations (BIZOPS)

Office (913-794-4347) | Mobile (913-579-1929)

6220 Sprint Parkway |KSOPHD0504 - 5B714 | Overland Park, KS 66251





-----Original Message-----

Message: 7

Date: Fri, 11 Apr 2008 07:12:17 -0500

From: "kelly keck" <kelly -dot- keck -at- imagine-one -dot- com>

Subject: Re: Replacing "master" and "slave" terminology

To: <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>

Message-ID:


<18EEB48B693F23448281FC3A7B87AE620178B129 -at- 34093-EVS3C1 -dot- exchange -dot- rackspac
e.com>



Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"



Andrew wrote:



----------------------

Excerpted from what I wrote the last time this subject came up on the

list...



Leader Follower

Primary Secondary

Host Guest

Server Client

First Second

Central Peripheral

Major Minor

Principal Additional

Main Subsidiary

Superior Subordinate

Husband Wife

---------------------





^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^



Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats
or

printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007


Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.

http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList



True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.

Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical

documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com



---

You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as
Darren -dot- Butler -dot- ctr -at- robins -dot- af -dot- mil -dot-



To unsubscribe send a blank email to

techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

or visit
http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/darren.butler.ctr%40r
obins.af.mil





To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com



Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit

http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.



^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or
printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007
Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList

True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-

To unsubscribe send a blank email to
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40web.techwr-l.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.


Follow-Ups:

References:
Re: Replacing "master" and "slave" terminology: From: Abels, Marci A [NTK]

Previous by Author: Adding "notes" pages to a reference manual?
Next by Author: Why we become technical writers
Previous by Thread: Re: Replacing "master" and "slave" terminology
Next by Thread: RE: Replacing "master" and "slave" terminology


What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:


Sponsored Ads