I joined this list mostly to talk about the proposed code of conduct.
Let me state the context up front:
1. Some of you know I am a loyal Gentoo user. I run three
"testing-level" (pure ~x86 with an occasional local package mask when
something croaks) systems, I beta-test stuff I'm interested in, etc. I'd
volunteer as a developer if I had the time to do more than test stuff
and all that. Maybe when I retire from my day job. :)
2. I don't have any visibility into what exactly is going on in the
developer portion of the Gentoo community. But I can emphatically state
that it *doesn't* seem to be showing up as a reduction in quality of
what's coming onto my systems when I emerge a package! I don't run
anything else, like Ubuntu, Fedora, openSuSE or Debian, so I can't
compare Gentoo with the others.
3. I *have* read the dire comments on Distrowatch, but not much of the
auxiliary blogging. I don't visit the IRC channels and I don't in
general inhabit the forums. I am on quite a few of the mailing lists
and, given that I run ~x86, a frequent visitor to Bugzilla. If the dire
predictions are true -- if Gentoo dies -- most likely I will switch to
rPath/Conary and build my own distro, rather than leaping on the Fedora,
openSuSE, or Ubuntu/Debian bandwagon.
On to the code of conduct. My belief is that it's entirely too weak! I'd
prefer a strict "no asshole" code. Screw up once -- get a stern
reprimand and a 30-day suspension of all privileges. Screw up twice and
it's bye-bye forever! I think there are something like hundreds of
thousands of talented open source developers out there, ranging in age
from maybe 13 to mid-70s or maybe even higher. There are many more of
"us" than there are positions on *all* of the major community open
source projects -- Linux itself, GNU, Apache, Gentoo, Debian, Perl,
Python, Ruby, etc. Gentoo can afford to be choosy. I personally think
Gentoo can't afford *not* to be choosy, given that it has little (if
any) corporate support.
Finally, let me add that I've never personally experienced what I would
consider unacceptable treatment from a Gentoo community member,
developer, user, interested bystander, etc. Perhaps if I had, it would
change my views. But, as the saying goes, "where there's smoke, there's
fire," and I'd prefer not to inhale the smoke. :)
--
M. Edward (Ed) Borasky, FBG, AB, PTA, PGS, MS, MNLP, NST, ACMC(P)
http://borasky-research.blogspot.com/
If God had meant for carrots to be eaten cooked, He would have given rabbits
fire.
--
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