Re: Rename offensive terminology (master)

[Johannes Schindelin <Johannes.Schindelin@gmx.de>]

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Hi Michael,

On Sun, 14 Jun 2020, Michael Felt (aixtools) wrote:

> Btw. The default branch, if it must have a new default label - how about
> calling it “default”?

This has been considered. In fact, I originally worked on the patches
under the assumption that "default" would make for a good term here.
However, there are a couple of arguments against it that I found
convincing:

- There are actually two concepts at play here: the actual main branch in
  a concrete repository, and the default name we use for that branch when
  initializing a new repository. In this mail thread, we are talking about
  the latter. It does sound needlessly confusing when you spell out "the
  default name of the default branch", which at least to me is a good
  indicator that there must be a better term to choose.

- While it is true that we are talking about the branch that is checked out
  during a `git clone` by default, it is definitely not the default branch
  name for your development in many flows: Typically when starting some
  new work, your default is _not_ to work on the main branch, but to
  branch off new topic branch.

- Imagine you are in serious financial trouble and have to see the word
  "default" every day. It might not seem like a very convincing argument to
  those among us who are far away from such financial troubles, although
  for the less fortunate, we would create yet another source of distress.

My current working hypothesis is that `main` would make for the best term
to use. Let me offer a couple arguments why that is.

- It seems to describe best what this branch is about. It's not anybody's
  default to develop on this branch; Instead, it is where the main part of
  the work eventually lands (just like in the "main branch" of a company).

- The name "main" is short and sweet.

- It might sound silly, but muscle memory is a thing. And ma<TAB> will still
  work with main. I bring this up because I would not have expected this to
  matter in practice, but my personal experience of the last few days
  contradicts that expectation.

- Looking at my Twitter feed, I see a trend toward using "main".

Ciao,
Johannes