[OSGeo-Discuss] Improving Code-of-Conduct

[Cameron Shorter]

(Changed title to reflect this conversation is about Code-of-Conduct 
improvements).

Maria,

I'm going to float a "wish-ware" idea here. Wishware is where someone 
wishes for a piece of software (or CoC in this case) and some magic 
geek-fairies go and write it for them because the idea is so good that 
others are attracted to make it happen.

I wish that instead of every foundation and project writing their own 
CoC, everyone bands together and creates a "Code-of-Conduct Foundation" 
which takes responsibility for creating a set of standard Code of 
Conducts, which are maintained by everyone. Something like the Creative 
Commons licenses for data, or the Open Source licenses defined by OSI.

Then we don't need to spend huge amounts of time debating words within 
our CoC, all we do is decide if we go with CoC-Virtual-Forums or 
CoC-Face-Conferences, or CoC-Short-Version, or .... (whatever they end 
up being called).

This would require one person initially, growing into a team of people, 
who would draw together the various authors of Codes-of-Conduct, and 
attract a commitment from a few projects to use the new Code-of-Conduct.

Maybe this might be your calling? It would be a huge amount of effort, 
but would also be hugely valuable and an excellent gift to humanity.


On 23/6/18 7:58 am, María Arias de Reyna wrote:
>
>
> El vie., 22 jun. 2018 23:35, Cameron Shorter 
> <cameron.shorter at gmail.com <mailto:cameron.shorter at gmail.com>> escribió:
>
>
>     Maria, re the Code-of-Conduct, I agree with Christian. Rewriting
>     it to create rules which consider all future opportunities for
>     human conflict is utopian, impractical and ultimately unachievable.
>
>
> I agree with that. But a static CoC is also impractical, considering 
> that in the last years CoCs have advanced a lot and now we know what 
> works better on each kind of organizations.
>
> What I propose is to evolve, not to throw all the work already done. 
> As I already said on previous mails, the work done was outstanding for 
> the time it was written. Which may seem very recently but considering 
> how much we have advanced, is already old.
>
>     There have been a huge number of person-hours which have been put
>     into the numerous Code-Of-Conducts which our OSGeo Code-Of-Conduct
>     was based upon. I think we keep our Code-of-Conduct as simple as
>     possible, and rely on our underlying morals, ethics, and
>     collective intelligence to address concerns as they arise.
>
>
> My plan is not to complicate it, but to make it stronger.
>
> Let me give you one simple example of something that doesn't make 
> sense right now:
>
> We cannot say dirty words, but we can harass someone using beautiful 
> words as long as we claim good intent. That doesn't make sense.
>
> So, precisely one of the things you quote above as what we should do 
> is one of the things that are wrong.
>
> This article can explain the situation better than me: 
> https://thebias.com/2017/09/26/how-good-intent-undermines-diversity-and-inclusion/
>
> This would be the easiest thing to propose to change because once you 
> understand it, it becomes obvious. But there's more.
>
>

-- 
Cameron Shorter
Technology Demystifier
Open Technologies and Geospatial Consultant

M +61 (0) 419 142 254

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