[python-committers] More explicit Code of Conduct for the issue tracker & core mailing lists?

[Steven D'Aprano]

On Wed, Jul 15, 2015 at 12:29:52PM +1000, Nick Coghlan wrote:
[...]
> I think their guidelines align pretty well with the way we try to run
> the CPython issue tracker and the core mailing lists, but we don't
> currently spell out those expectations for newcomers (or potential
> newcomers) as clearly as they have.
> 
> Would folks mind if I drafted a CPython Code of Conduct inspired by
> their example, and proposed it for inclusion in the Developer's Guide?

Is there an actual social problem you are trying to solve here, or have 
you just run out of things to do? :-)

The PFS has had a CoC for over a year now. I haven't seen any reduction 
in "bad behaviour" (it was so low that it would be hard to go any 
lower), but in my opinion it seems that people are even less inclined to 
express unpopular viewpoints and more inclined to stay silent. I don't 
know if that is due to the CoC. I haven't seen anyone directly threated 
by it for voicing an unpopular opinion, but I know that its at the back 
of my mind whenever I think about posting. If people don't like what I 
have to say, can they use the CoC to threaten me? That makes me 
self-censor all the time, and I don't mean "Am I being a dick?". I mean 
"How unpopular will this opinion be?"

I spent a *long* time thinking about whether or not I should send this 
and go against the multitude of +1s, and I'm not sure that people aren't 
going to hold it against me. (What sort of monster must I be to be 
against a CoC and in favour of trolls and abuse?) I know of other 
forums, not Python related, where what I am saying certainly would be 
held against me for being "disruptive".

To me, a CoC has a definite chilling effect when it comes to voicing 
opinions that go against the majority. It's hard enough to swim against 
the tide of popular opinion even in the absense of formal rules that can 
be used against you. If there was a genuine problem with trolls and 
abuse on the tracker, then I would consider stronger measures than what 
we already have in place (i.e. social disapproval, and the ability to 
close people's account on the tracker). You don't need a CoC to say to 
somebody "There's no call for that, you went to far, you crossed a 
line."



-- 
Steve