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November 1962 Radio-Electronics
 [Table of Contents]
Wax nostalgic about and learn from the history of early electronics.
See articles from Radio-Electronics,
published 1930-1988. All copyrights hereby acknowledged.
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The comic on page 98 of
this 1962 issue of Radio-Electronics magazine reminds me of how I am amazed
that the "master-slave" terminology is still used in today's electronics. The master-slave
terminology in technology, particularly in electronics and mechanics, describes
a hierarchical control relationship where one entity (the "master") governs the
actions of one or more subordinate entities (the "slaves"). In electronics, it is
ubiquitous in systems like flip-flops (e.g., master-slave JK flip-flops, where the
master latches data and the slave follows on clock cycles), communication protocols
(e.g., I2C, with a master device directing slave peripherals), and computer architectures
(e.g., master processors syncing slave cores). In mechanics, it appears in systems
like hydraulic couplings or automotive brakes, where a master cylinder dictates
slave cylinder motion. Dating back to at least the 1904 Dictionary of Electrical
Words, per NIST, the terms were chosen for their clear analogy to authority and
dependency, not social connotations. Despite today's politically correct push -
spurring alternatives like "primary-secondary" or "controller-worker" from groups
like
IEEE and
IETF - their persistence stems from entrenched technical precision,
widespread legacy documentation, and resistance to change in engineering culture,
where functionality trumps linguistic sensitivity; critics argue it's neutral in
context. The page 113 comic is pretty clever. I colorized the comics.
Electronics-Themed Comics
Page 98
"Well, that completes the system - Hi-Fi in every room."
Page 102
"It's the main set in the basement that's out of order - this
is just the extension."
Page 113
These Technically-Themed Comics Appeared in Vintage Electronics Magazines. I
personally scanned and posted every one from copies I own (and even colorized some).
269 pages as of 11/5/2025.
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