On 2021/05/24 09:13:45, Andrija Panic <andrija.pa...@gmail.com> wrote:
> (it's interesting to see that " sanity check " (a very common,
> non-offensive wording used in coding) is considered inappropriate (by
> whatever authority...???)
I don't think that "inappropriate" is really the point here. Rather, the goal
is to avoid terms that have other, unrelated meanings, which may have
implications for members of your project community. "Sanity" has no actual
meaning in software, but it does have a meaning to actual humans in your
community who suffer from mental health issues. And in avoiding terms like
that, it gives an opportunity to use terms that actually mean something useful.
You are not checking the "sanity" of your software, as it has none? What are
you checking? Community clearly by choosing words that say what you actually
mean. This, in turn, makes it easier for those for whom English is not a first
language to understand what is being communicated.
In general, avoiding jargon, colloquialisms, and slang helps expand the number
of people who can read your words with clarity and understanding.
> ( also "he/she" is considered "gender" and that also seems
> inappropriate????? - I can't believe this nonsense (otherwise, it may be
> grammatical errors, and yes, those should be corrected)
While you are, of course, welcome to think that this is nonsense, it's
meaningful to those individuals in your community who identify as neither "he"
nor "she", and feel that they are being excluded by these word choices. Do you
want them to feel unwelcome? No, of course you don't. So choosing words that
include everyone is good for you, too, because it extends a welcome to a larger
contributor community, which, in turn, increases the opportunity for innovation.
Focusing on "offense" and "inappropriate" and so on is only a small part of the
story. Rather, a conscious language effort (or "inclusive language," if you
prefer) is more about choosing the right words/phrases than about avoiding
"bad" ones. This entire effort, across the entire software industry, is about
creating a place where people feel part of the team, rather than outsiders.
Words matter, and this is just one way to use words to craft such a place.
