FESCo Meeting Summary - 2009-03-06

[Dan]

On Mon, Mar 09, 2009 at 08:29:19AM -0400, Seth Vidal wrote:

> On Mon, 9 Mar 2009, Richard W.M. Jones wrote:
>
>> On Mon, Mar 09, 2009 at 07:34:07AM -0400, Josh Boyer wrote:
>>> On Mon, Mar 09, 2009 at 11:10:52AM +0000, Richard W.M. Jones wrote:
>>>> http://www.ubuntu.com/community/conduct
>>>
>>> I'll also point out that Fedora has existed for a number of years without
>>> a documented code of conduct.  While the document you pointed to is
>>> certainly nice, I don't see the need to write down and require everyone
>>> to sign something that is just plain common sense.
>>
>> It can be useful to formally write down things which are 'plain common
>> sense', so that when someone isn't showing common sense you can point
>> them to it and say 'you are violating this rule, stop'.
>>
>
> and then what?
>
> After someone says 'stop', if the person either 1. does not agree with 
> the code or 2. does not believe themselves to be violating the code  then 
> what will fesco or the board or whomever do?
>
> Delete the user's account? Socially ostracize them? What?
>
> Codes of Conduct are silly unless there is some enforcement and enforcing 
> behavior in a volunteer organization is extremely hard.

I've only been using Fedora for about a week now, previously I used
Debian for the past 10 years.
Debian has various processes for dealing with difficult people. If
anyone (including developers) continually is difficult on a mailing
list then they are banned from the list. If a developer behaves badly
enough, a motion can be presented for a call to vote for expulsion.
I recall this happening a couple of times over the years.

I'm not a big fan of Ubuntu, but I do think that they are on to
something with a code of conduct that can help to keep things civil.

Just my 2p

Dan

-- 
"The plural of anecdote is not data."
                --Roger Brinner