Re: Terminology changes for update-alternatives

Justin B Rye <[email protected]> writes:

> Julian Andres Klode wrote:
>>> I'd like to move away from the master/slave terminology used in
>>> update-alternatives for both the external interfaces (CLI options,
>>> output fields) obviously preserving backwards compatibility, docs
>>> and for all the internal code symbols. For the same reasons as mentioned
>>> in <https://lists.debian.org/debian-dpkg/2021/03/msg00002.html>. (This
>>> is bug #884368.)
> [...]
>> 
>> I want to suggest root and leaf.
>
> "Leaf" is a good idea - definitely an improvement on "slave" imagery!
> "Root" isn't the only option for the converse; others include "trunk"
> or "stem" (real-world root systems branch out in much the same way as
> leaves do, though computer jargon mostly ignores this).  Or then again
> you could mix metaphors and have "main" versus "leaf".

I think your other suggestion of "main" and "subsidiary" is much clearer
for people who dont already know what the meaning is - like me. I found
all the other suggestins much less clear, and would suggest avoiding
metaphors which seem a bit too-clever-by-half here.