57
In September 2024, "Ty Coon" was replaced with "Moe Ghoul" in the official text file for GPL v2, without changing the version number or URL. (lemmy.ca)
submitted 1 week ago by dullbananas@lemmy.ca to c/opensource@lemmy.ml
30 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Old: https://web.archive.org/web/20240917143456/http://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/gpl-2.0.txt

New: https://web.archive.org/web/20240919194602/http://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/gpl-2.0.txt

top 30 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[-] renzev@lemmy.world 33 points 1 week ago

Jesus christ people in the comments here are pathetic. This clearly has nothing to do with racial slurs or otaku culture. It's a play on the totally normal english word "tycoon" which just means "very rich businessman" and "mogul" which is a synonym for "magnate". You can look these up, every half-decent dictionary has these words. They probably changed it because "coon" is a slur for black people and they didn't want to cause any misunderstandings. If any of this offends you, please, please just step outside, touch some grass, take a deep breath, relax.

[-] DarkMetatron@feddit.org 14 points 1 week ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

You begin with "this clearly has nothing to do with racial slurs" and have near the end "they probably changed it because coon is a slur for black people".

This is self contradictory, both statements can't be true at the same time.

I am not offended by anything here, I couldn't care less about what they use as fun wordplay in there.

Had a slow day and lots of free time at a train ride and just want to show that everything written can be misinterpreted and misunderstood. There is a bad meaning or derogatory slang for nearly every word out there.

[-] IttihadChe@lemmy.ml 1 points 6 days ago

It absolutely can be true, though slightly misworded.

  1. the initial usage had nothing to do with the derogatory term.

  2. upon realizing the relation to the derogatory term they adapted.

[-] DarkMetatron@feddit.org 1 points 6 days ago

Yes, if you change the complete context and make major changes to the sentences, then both can be true. I am sorry that I made that mistake, I beg for forgiveness

[-] IttihadChe@lemmy.ml 1 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

It's not changing the complete sentence, it's recognizing context clues and patterns of language.

"This clearly has nothing to do with racial slurs or otaku culture" = the original intention wasn't about a racial slur and the change isn't about mocking Otaku culture. (This is supported when they go on to explain what the actual original intention would be)

"They probably changed it because “coon” is a slur for black people and they didn’t want to cause any misunderstandings" = upon realizing the relation to a slur they didn't intend, they changed it.

No need for forgiveness, or for passive aggressive condescension.

[-] doomcanoe@sh.itjust.works 7 points 1 week ago

derogatory slang

What did you call me!?

[-] DarkMetatron@feddit.org 3 points 1 week ago

🤣😉

[-] trevor 16 points 1 week ago

Okay, so this definitely feels like bad practice to not change the version number or URL, even in something trivial like example texts here. But what real-world significance does this have?

It almost seems equivalent to just changing a variable name based on how it's being used, which -- to be clear -- should come with a version bump, but I can't imagine this having any meaningful impact anywhere.

[-] digdilem@lemmy.ml 7 points 1 week ago

But what real-world significance does this have?

None - I don't know of anyone that parses release names. Versions, yes, absolutely, but silly version release names?

I came into the comments to see what other reason there was, but it seems it's a non-story.

[-] beyond@linkage.ds8.zone 8 points 1 week ago

FSF moved out of its office in August 2024. Note that they removed the address in the newer revision. I guess they took the opportunity to change the example copyright disclaimer to something that didn't include a racial slur.

It's not a functional change so I don't think it warrants a new version number or URL.

[-] thann@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 1 week ago

Hugh Jassole

[-] DarkMetatron@feddit.org 3 points 1 week ago

So instead of a racial slur they now make fun of Anime/Manga/Video Game fans

"Moe (Japanese: 萌え; pronounced [mo.e] ⓘ), sometimes romanized as moé, is a Japanese word that refers to feelings of strong affection mainly towards characters in anime, manga, video games, and other media directed at the otaku market. Moe, however, has also gained usage to refer to feelings of affection towards any subject"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moe_(slang)

That in combination with Ghoul

"In folklore, a ghoul (from Arabic: غول, ghūl) is a demon-like being or monstrous humanoid, often associated with graveyards and the consumption of human flesh"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghoul

creates a not very nice combination.

[-] IttihadChe@lemmy.ml 2 points 6 days ago

Everyday I become more secure in my belief that anime should be banned and all "anime fans" should be re-educated.

[-] DarkMetatron@feddit.org 1 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

a) ad hominem and b) where did you take the information from that I am an anime fan? Only because I know the definition of the Japanese word "Moe"? A definition that is only one Wikipedia search away.

Maybe you should get some education and logical thinking first before you send others into re-education.

[-] Azzk1kr@feddit.nl 18 points 1 week ago

Christ, what a stretch. It's obviously a play on the tech Mogul definition.

[-] DarkMetatron@feddit.org 3 points 1 week ago

Not a bigger stretch then with the Ty Coon, that was obviously a play on the Tycoon.

It was not me who started to read bad things into word play, but by that rules is Moe Ghoul offensive too.

[-] zagaberoo@beehaw.org 12 points 1 week ago

Sure, because the persecution of black people in the US is at all equivalent to the bullying of anime nerds, right.

The problem is not that thin-skinned people could do mental gymnastics to find reasons to be upset, it's that 'coon' is straight up a racial slur that was historically a major tool of oppression.

[-] DarkMetatron@feddit.org 1 points 1 week ago

Bullying should never be ok, and rules should be valid and applicable for everyone.

Nobody should be a valid target for verbal abuse, not even anime nerds.

So if a rule against verbal harm and abuse are implemented (which I am not against at all) then such rule should be valid and used for all cases. There is no equality if new inequality is created in the process.

[-] zagaberoo@beehaw.org 5 points 1 week ago

Go home, you're drunk.

[-] DarkMetatron@feddit.org 1 points 1 week ago

I am drunk because I have the belief that everyone should be truly equal in front of the law and that rules about a thing/concept should be valid for all instances of that thing/concept? If you think so then, ok I am drunk and go home. Have a nice weekend!

[-] zagaberoo@beehaw.org 3 points 6 days ago

You're drunk for thinking this is about you.

[-] DarkMetatron@feddit.org 1 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

We talk about personal opinions, there is not much that is more personal then personal opinions. And you are making ad hominem claims (my soberness) so yes it is about me.

But it is not me how brought it to the personal level, that was you with calling me drunk. Before that it was completely abstract and impersonal.

[-] zagaberoo@beehaw.org 2 points 6 days ago

It's only about you because you made it about you.

"Ghoul" is not a slur. You saying that seeing an unpleasant word next to a word that reminds you of anime is at all equivalent to a slur is frankly ghastly of you.

You'd almost have a leg to stand on if they changed it to "Captain Weeaboo" or something, but even then the comparison is a stretch. You're showing up at somebody's funeral to say "I scraped my knee, that's bad too! We're all equal as humans, so I deserve to speak".

Grow up.

[-] DarkMetatron@feddit.org 1 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

As I said in another post this was only a demonstration that people can read and interpret negative meaning in every combination of words if they really want to. I even gave the definition why "Ghoul" can be read in a negative way, but yeah it is easier to pull the conversation down to the ad hominem level like you did.

So in that regard was my little demonstration really successful, way more so then I intended.

To be honest, I don't care at all what they use as a funny wordplay, Moe Ghoul is even funnier than the older choice in my eyes. But my personal opinion about it is irrelevant, sorry that I have one.

I really think we should end the conversation here, because I already tried to end it with the nice weekend.

[-] zagaberoo@beehaw.org 1 points 5 days ago

You really can't see the forest for the trees. Reflect.

[-] DarkMetatron@feddit.org 1 points 5 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

And you can't let it be. Well me neither, but i will just add you to my blocklist now. That will end this dumb/pointless conversion for sure.

[-] the_crotch@sh.itjust.works 5 points 1 week ago

How many anime characters have been lynched by mobs calling them "moe"

[-] Bane_Killgrind@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 1 week ago

Not the kind of choking that mob would do

[-] Eyck_of_denesle@lemmy.zip 9 points 1 week ago

Touch grass

[-] otter@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 1 week ago

Wouldn't that be spelled "Earl", then?

this post was submitted on 03 Jul 2025
57 points (100.0% liked)

Open Source

38814 readers
70 users here now

All about open source! Feel free to ask questions, and share news, and interesting stuff!

Useful Links

Rules

Related Communities

Community icon from opensource.org, but we are not affiliated with them.

founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS
Cloak@lemmy.ml
kevincox@lemmy.ml
CrypticCoffee@lemmy.ml
Lettuceeatlettuce@lemmy.ml