Re: Offensive variable names [was: Cool down ...]
On Sun, Jul 11, 2021 at 10:05:39PM +0200, Thomas Schmitt wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Brian wrote:
> > Variable change? A link from either of you, please.
>
> After googling "offensive variable name" i got to:
>
> "Fix use of offensive word in kafka receiver factory_test"
> https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector/issues/2286
>
> which led to
>
> "changed variable name in kafka receiver"
> https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector/pull/2288/files/c16ff3d61ac966534590585477934eddaeb6b129
>
>
> Above Github issue indicates that there are blacklists maintained:
>
> "Automated security scanners flag the use of this variable name as
> a potentially offensive word"
>
> But of course the use of a blacklist is a problem too:
>
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blacklist_%28computing%29#Controversy_over_use_of_the_term
> https://www.theregister.com/2019/09/03/chromium_microsoft_offensive/
>
I've found deny_list and allow_list or similar to be quite useful.
Everything can go too far but actually sometimes things do end
up being more clear.
>
> Whatever, the use of controversial words in publicly visible code is not
> an indication of a professional attitude. Overdoing juvenile enthusiasm
> for provocation might lead to a result like with the "weboob" package which
> got removed from Debian
> https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=907199
>
>
> Have a nice day :)
>
You too
Andy Cater
> Thomas
>
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