Re: Code of Conduct plan

On 4 Jun 2018, at 17:59, Joshua D. Drake <jd(at)commandprompt(dot)com> wrote:
> On 06/03/2018 04:08 PM, Gavin Flower wrote:
<snip>
>> I might possibly say that "I'm the master in this area" when talking to someone on a technical subject. In the sense that I'm better at that particular skill, but some hypersensitive American could get their knickers in a twist (notice, that in this context, no gender is implied -- also in using that that expression "get their knickers in a twist" could offend some snowflake) claiming that I'm suggesting that whoever
>
> "snowflake", I find that term hilarious others find it highly offensive. Which is correct?

Like most things, it depends on context. ;)

>> I'm talking to is my slave! I heard of an American university that doesn't want people to use the term master, like in an MSc, because of the history of slavery.
>
> The PostgreSQL project already has this problem, note we don't use the terms Master and Slave in reference to replication anymore.
>
>> I've used the expressions "sacrifice a willing virgin" and "offering my first born to the gods" as ways to ensure success of resolving a technical issue. The people I say that to, know what I mean -- and they implicitly know that I'm not seriously suggesting such conduct. Yet, if I wrote that publicly, it is conceivable that someone might object!
>
> Yes and that is a problem. We need to have some simple barrier of acceptance that we are all adults here (or should act like adults). Knowing your audience is important.
>
>> Consider a past advertising campaign in Australia to sell government Bonds. They used two very common hand gestures that are very Australian. Bond sales dropped. On investigation, they found the bonds were mainly bought by old Greek people, who found the gestures obscene. The gestures? Thumbs up, and the okay gesture formed by touching the thumb with the next finger -- nothing sexually suggestive to most Australians, but traditional Greeks found them offensive.
>
> Using Australia as an example, my understanding is that the word c**t is part of nomenclature but in the states the word is taboo and highly frowned upon.

Yes. Us Aussie's often use the word "cunt". Again, depends on context. :)

Personally... I don't think I've used it more than 5 times in total, in the years I've been in the UK.

Those times I did, it was _definitely_ not in a politically correct fashion. Nor online. YMMV.

>> Be very careful in attempting to codify 'correct' behaviour!
>
> Correct. I think one way to look at all of this is, "if you wouldn't say it to your boss or a client don't say it here". That too has problems but generally speaking I think it keeps the restrictions rational.

Possibly a weird viewpoint, but I personally have a different way of looking at the CoC thing.

From my observations of people so far, it seems like there are two main GROUPings (pun intended :>)
of people:

* Those who like and want rules for everything. "For without rules how will people know what to do?"
* Those who don't like nor want rules for everything. "Stop trying to control me! Let me work out an optimal approach myself!"

It's a scale thing, not black and white.

Personally, I'm somewhere near the middle (it varies slightly over time).

My point being, that when some threshold of "too many rules" is reached the people in the Community
who _don't_ like excess rules will leave. Conversely, people who _need_ rules in order to feel
comfortable will start to stick around.

Neither group is intrinsically right nor wrong. They just operate internally differently, and
have different needs.

Adding a CoC will change the quantity-of-fules mix _slightly_, depending on how in-your-face people
are with it.

Our Community will naturally adjust it's makeup over time to reflect this change.

Mentioning the above, as I hope we're going into this "eyes wide open". ;)

+ Justin

--
"My grandfather once told me that there are two kinds of people: those
who work and those who take the credit. He told me to try to be in the
first group; there was less competition there."
- Indira Gandhi