Re: [PATCH 0/3] Use "allowlist" and "denylist" tree-wide

> "Derrick Stolee via GitGitGadget" <gitgitgadget@gmail.com> writes:
> 
>> The terms "allowlist" and "denylist" are self-defining. One "allows" things
>> while the other "denies" things.
>>
>> These are better terms over "whitelist" and "blacklist" which require prior
>> knowledge of the terms or cultural expectations around what each color
>> "means".
> 
> Half Devil's advocate mode on, as I got up on the wrong side of the
> bed this morning.
> 
> I am very much for consistent uses of allow/deny and I think it is a
> good idea to review and apply this series.
> 
> But I'd prefer to see us more honest to ourselves.  Like it or not,
> the code comment and documentation are targetted toward those who
> can read English, and when you say something is whitelisted in
> English, you know exactly what it means, due to shared knowledge of
> historical use of the word.
> 
> We are doing this change in the name of inclusion.  I find it
> intellectually dishonest to avoid saying that true reason, and
> instead say the allow/deny pair is more "precise".  They are not
> more precise.  In fact, the fact why you have to choose between deny
> and block and defend deny over block shows that these words are less
> precise.  People who use white/black do not have to choose between
> black and other colors and say "white/red may be OK but we choose
> black because..." to defend the choice of their words.
> 
> The reason we do this change is because the project thinks that it
> is the right thing to encourage the adoption of these more inclusive
> words, together with other projects that did the same.
> 
> In addition, they are words more widely accepted in today's world,
> and new folks are more likely to be educated with these words.  As
> time goes by, the historical white/black will be less understood, so
> it makes it a future-proofing change, as well.