Re: Proposal: rename xen.git#master (to #trunk, perhaps)

[Roman Shaposhnik <roman@xxxxxxxxxx>]

On Wed, Jun 24, 2020 at 10:39 AM Stefano Stabellini
<sstabellini@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> On Wed, 24 Jun 2020, Ian Jackson wrote:
> > I think it would be a good idea to rename this branch name.  This name
> > has unfortunate associations[1], even if it can be argued[2] that the
> > etymology is not as bad as in some uses of the word.
> >
> > This is relativity straightforward on a technical level and will
> > involve a minimum of inconvenience.  Since only osstest ever pushes to
> > xen.git#master, we could easily make a new branch name and also keep
> > #master for compatibility as long as we like.
> >
> > The effects[1] would be:
> >
> > Users who did "git clone https://xenbits.xen.org/git-http/xen.git"";
> > would find themselves on a branch called "trunk" which tracked
> > "origin/trunk", by default.  (Some users with old versions of git
> > using old protocols would still end up on "master".)
> >
> > Everyone who currently tracks "master" would be able to switch to
> > tracking "trunk" at their leisure.
> >
> > Presumably at some future point (a year or two from now, say) we would
> > abolish the name "master".
> >
> > Comments ?  In particular, comments on:
> >
> > 1. What the new branch name should be called.  Suggestions I have seen
> > include "trunk" and "main".  I suggest "trunk" because this was used
> > by SVN, CVS, RCS, CSSC (and therefore probably SCCS) for this same
> > purpose.
>
> Github seems to be about to make a similar change. I wonder if we should
> wait just a couple of weeks to see what name they are going to choose.
>
> https://www.theregister.com/2020/06/15/github_replaces_master_with_main/
>
>
> Of course I don't particulalry care one way or the other, but it would
> be good if we end up using the same name as everybody else. It is not
> that we have to choose the name Github is going to choose, but their
> user base is massive -- whatever they are going to pick is very likely
> going to stick.

<peanut gallery>
+1 to Stefano's way of thinking here -- that's exactly what we're
doing in some of the other LF projects I'm involved in. Of course all
the master/slave terminology has to be addresses at the project level
-- but I haven't come across much of that in my Xen hacking
</peanut gallery>

Thanks,
Roman.