[Distutils] Please don't impose additional barriers to participation

[Ben Finney]

Robert Collins <robertc at robertcollins.net> writes:

> On 28 October 2015 at 18:02, Ben Finney <ben+python at benfinney.id.au> wrote:
> > Please keep the conversation on a mailing list where one can
> > participate without needing to sign up with any particular service
> > provider.
>
> One has to sign up with the mailing list, so there's no functional
> difference there.

You've stated that point in the past, and it's still untrue.

The functional difference is that the mailing list is provided by
effectively the same organisation that one is wanting to participating
in discussion with. An objector to the terms of service of the mailing
list is much less likely to want to also participate as part of this
community.

The same is certainly not true of GitHub. Please don't make a GitHub
account a requirement for participating in this community's discussions
on an equal footing with other participants.

> > Your proposal would have the effect of excluding people from the
> > conversation if they don't agree to have a GitHub account. I think
> > it's valuable to avoid that barrier to entry, needing only an email
> > account.
>
> They can always reply to emails.

As first-class citizens, like today? Or as outsiders looking in?

The proposal is to move the primary discussion forum *away* from this
forum, and make GitHub participants first-class citizens of that forum.

Either there is no significant advantage to having the discussion forum
take place primarily on the walled garden of GitHub, in which case the
proposal seems pointless on its face.

Or there is some significant advantage being proposed, in which case my
objections stand: don't restrict that advantage to only those who are
willing to use a GitHub account to do so.

-- 
 \       “If you go flying back through time and you see somebody else |
  `\   flying forward into the future, it's probably best to avoid eye |
_o__)                                           contact.” —Jack Handey |
Ben Finney