Re: Code of Conduct: Is it time? - Mailing list pgsql-general

On 01/06/2016 08:50 AM, Joshua D. Drake wrote:
> On 01/06/2016 08:11 AM, James Keener wrote:
>>> The coc sounds like a Washington politics play, but as long as the best
>>> still engage
>>> in this forum, I could care less. The list serves its purpose without
>>> overhead...a rare
>>> resource in today's flood of incoherent technical chatter.
>>
>> Beyond "Hey! Look at us! We're telling people to play nice" What would a
>> Code of Conduct actually get the community?
>
> It provides a sense of confidence to those who are not confident that
> they can come play in our playground and not be bullied. That is what
> every single code of conduct is about. There are a lot of very talented
> people in the FLOSS community that just don't like to work in areas that
> don't have a code of conduct.
>
>> Is not having a formal "play
>> nice" document actually keeping developers away?
>>
>> However, what happens if I break the CoC? Email addresses and IRC
>> handles are cheap. I can still continue to use PostgreSQL. If I say an
>> incredibly racist, sexist, or just plain rude thing, then what do I
>> loose? What do we do when someone harasses someone else in private?
>
> It isn't about your ability to use PostgreSQL. It is about your ability
> to contribute and be part of the community.
>
>>
>> That said, I would capitulate that a document stating the behavior we
>> expect of each other as a useful way in helping us tell people to stand
>> down.
>
> This is a very good point. It serves as a throttle on heated
> discussions. It shows we are serious about everyone respecting each
> other even when they aren't getting along.
>
>> However, we have to accept that in-and-off itself it's a
>> meaningless document. Like the US Constitution, it only matters if
>> people execute and make it matter.
>
> Exactly and there are ways to do that.
>
>>
>> _We_ as a community need to take the responsibility of telling each
>> other off when someone steps out of line. If a (short) document
>> explaining the goals, values, and precepts of the community will help us
>> do that, then by all means, let's do that!
>
> Right. The creation of a CoC doesn't hurt anyone. There is no downside.
>
>>
>> We just have to figure out if it will. (As a cis-hetero white middle
>> class male) I'm not a "targeted" group and as such my views may not be
>> of the most use here.
>
> Which is another very good point.

Except it is not true. Re: my previous post about Brendan Eich. He was
run out of office for crossing one of the 'targeted' groups who then
launched a cyberbully and harassment campaign that made his position
untenable. Mozilla admitted as much:

https://blog.mozilla.org/blog/2014/04/03/brendan-eich-steps-down-as-mozilla-ceo/

Yet other then the politicians answer of we will look into it, nothing
was done.

>
> JD
>


--
Adrian Klaver
adrian.klaver@aklaver.com