[python-committers] Moderation of the Python community

[Victor Stinner]

Hi,

I see more and more discussions about the moderation of the Python community.

There is a PSF "conduct" Working Group:
https://wiki.python.org/psf/ConductWG/Charter

I noticed the following questions:

* Lack of transparency on how moderation is decided
* Lack of transparency on the number of received Code of Conduct
incidents: maybe start to produce "Code of Conduct transparency
report"? (If such reports already exist, I'm sorry, I wasn't aware
:-))
* Should the PSF conduct-WG handle conflicts between core developers?

Would it be possible to write down rules to formalize the moderation?
For example:

* First try to contact the author of an incident and warn them? Only
take an action immediately for exceptional cases like obvious spam?
* Maybe define numbers for ban: 1 week, then 3 months, then 6 months,
then 1 year? I would prefer to never ban someone forever. People can
change.
* Scope: does the moderationg apply to *any* public space? Or only to
a restricted list like: mailing lists and bug tracker? What about
Twitter and conferences?
* Should the incidents which occur in the private space be handled as
well? Bullying can occur in the private space.
* How to handle conflict between core developers? Not directly related
to the code of conduct.

I'm not interested for work on such rules. I'm not sure neither if
it's the role of the Python core developers to propose something.
Maybe the PSF conduct WG should propose something, or even decide
directly?

Handling conflicts between core developers is the most difficult
question. I don't think that it's the role of the conduct working
group to handle that. Moreover, the Code of Conduct should be seen as
a way to evict a core developer out of Python. The Code of Conduct is
supposed to protect members of the Python community against people who
misbehave. But I'm unable to describe the limit between "misbehave"
and "conflict" between two developers.

My main concern is that the PSF conduct WG should not be seen as a
threat to core developers.

Victor

Note: I decided to write on python-committers mailing rather than
Discourse, since all previous discussions related to moderation
occurred on this list.