Mailing List Archive

Re: [Bug 7826] Improve language around whitelist/blacklist and master/slave
On 2020-08-01 21:23, bugzilla-daemon@spamassassin.apache.org wrote:

> https://bz.apache.org/SpamAssassin/show_bug.cgi?id=7826
>
> --- Comment #58 from Kevin A. McGrail <kmcgrail@apache.org> ---
> (In reply to John Hardin from comment #57) (In reply to Kevin A. McGrail from comment #55)
>
> This isn't a plugin to disable features (i.e. deprecate), it's to enable them.
> So name it "EnableDeprecatedTerminology.pm"
>
> I second the objection to "RaciallyCharged.pm". Doing that is essentially
> scolding anyone who enables backwards compatibility features.

The RaciallyCharged plugin doesn't enabled deprecated terminology, it
enables
the racially charged language. It's used in the rules specifically for
this
issue and the tests as well for backwards compatible. It won't be
suitable as
a generic plugin. The plugin describes exactly what the plugin does and
I
stand by the name. People should stop using the language.

As you cannot fail to be aware if you read even a fraction of the list
messages on this topic, there is absolutely no consensus that
blacklist/whitelist etc. are racially charged terms. Some perceive them
as such, sure, but others disagree, and indeed some disagree rather
strongly. It would seem fitting to avoid a divisive name for re-enabling
the terms.

What is indisputable is that the project has chosen to deprecate the
terms, regardless of the reasons for that deprecation. It is equally
indisputable that the plugin is for backward compatibility reasons. So
how about EnableDeprecatedTerminology or
EnableBackwardCompatibilityTerminology, which would be accurate and far
less divisive names. I suppose it might be argued that another plugin
might be needed in the future for enabling terms deprecated for other
reasons. If that is a worry, then call this one
EnableDeprecatedBlackWhiteTerminology or
EnableBackCompatBlackWhiteTerminology.

--
John
Re: [Bug 7826] Improve language around whitelist/blacklist and master/slave [ In reply to ]
On Mon, 3 Aug 2020, John Wilcock wrote:

> On 2020-08-01 21:23, bugzilla-daemon@spamassassin.apache.org wrote:
>
>> https://bz.apache.org/SpamAssassin/show_bug.cgi?id=7826
>>
>> --- Comment #58 from Kevin A. McGrail <kmcgrail@apache.org> ---
>> (In reply to John Hardin from comment #57) (In reply to Kevin A. McGrail from comment #55)
>>
>> This isn't a plugin to disable features (i.e. deprecate), it's to enable them.
>> So name it "EnableDeprecatedTerminology.pm"
>>
>> I second the objection to "RaciallyCharged.pm". Doing that is essentially
>> scolding anyone who enables backwards compatibility features.
>
> The RaciallyCharged plugin doesn't enabled deprecated terminology, it
> enables the racially charged language. It's used in the rules
> specifically for this issue and the tests as well for backwards
> compatible. It won't be suitable as a generic plugin. The plugin
> describes exactly what the plugin does and I stand by the name. People
> should stop using the language.


> As you cannot fail to be aware if you read even a fraction of the list
> messages on this topic, there is absolutely no consensus that
> blacklist/whitelist etc. are racially charged terms. Some perceive them
> as such, sure, but others disagree, and indeed some disagree rather
> strongly. It would seem fitting to avoid a divisive name for re-enabling
> the terms.
>
> What is indisputable is that the project has chosen to deprecate the
> terms, regardless of the reasons for that deprecation. It is equally
> indisputable that the plugin is for backward compatibility reasons. So
> how about EnableDeprecatedTerminology or
> EnableBackwardCompatibilityTerminology, which would be accurate and far
> less divisive names. I suppose it might be argued that another plugin
> might be needed in the future for enabling terms deprecated for other
> reasons. If that is a worry, then call this one
> EnableDeprecatedBlackWhiteTerminology or
> EnableBackCompatBlackWhiteTerminology.

Or perhaps "EnableDeprecatedTerminology_bug7826.pm" to make it more
specific to the terminology in question. This provides us a pattern for
future use should other terms ever need to be deprecated for some reason.

--
John Hardin KA7OHZ http://www.impsec.org/~jhardin/
jhardin@impsec.org FALaholic #11174 pgpk -a jhardin@impsec.org
key: 0xB8732E79 -- 2D8C 34F4 6411 F507 136C AF76 D822 E6E6 B873 2E79
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