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

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.

JD

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