If we would all consider the GNU Kind Communication Guidelines, there would be few of raised emotions and flames. Yet it is not easy to do so.
After the review of: https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/kind-communication.en.html I can tell that I do share these thoughts, while in same time I find it difficult to follow. The article has been edited by author and webmasters, it was made even kinder and straightened, while references to possible outcomes have been removed. Most important is the purpose: The GNU Project encourages contributions from anyone who wishes to advance the development of the GNU system, regardless of gender, race, ethnic group, physical appearance, religion, cultural background, and any other demographic characteristics, as well as personal political views. Thus the purpose is to encourage contributions to GNU project regardless of anything else, while respecting everyone's personal opinions. By those very principles and guide on communication, GNU project achieved more than any other, it initiated classes of free software development. In that sense, and with the purpose that GNU project encourages contributions from anyone without discrimination, I would say that it is quite enough and unique in its kind, and that GNU does not need any type of new "social contract" neither "code of conduct" -- for reasons that there are kinder ways to solve human problems without having option to abuse the rules of a social contract including the code of conduct. See the etymology for "social contract": https://www.bl.uk/learning/histcitizen/21cc/utopia/revolution1/rousseau1/rousseau.html and peer reviewed academic resource: https://www.iep.utm.edu/soc-cont and Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_contract Introduction of "social contract" or "code of conduct" could easily be abused or wrongly interpreted to act contrary to the purposes as envisioned by GNU free software philosophy, to welcome contributions by everybody without discrimination. I do know that those types of documents and policies have good purposes and intentions, yet I refer to their practical application and difficulties in practical application. Leaders of a group could impose certain "codes of conducts" or "social contracts" and then not abide by it themselves, or only apply it impartially onto certain people while referencing the policies, and by doing so, they would be rather disallowing contributions from those people which viewpoints or behavior was not shared. We shall stick to the purpose to encourage contributions, as that is what is important. This below is my only my personal checklist for futher communications. #+TITLE: GNU Kind Communications Guidelines \\ #+TITLE: My Personal Checklist #+AUTHOR: Richard Stallman This is shortened checklist from: https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/kind-communication.en.html ## Purpose The GNU Project encourages contributions from anyone who wishes to advance the development of the GNU system, regardless of gender, race, ethnic group, physical appearance, religion, cultural background, and any other demographic characteristics, as well as personal political views. People are sometimes discouraged from participating in GNU development because of certain patterns of communication that strike them as unfriendly, unwelcoming, rejecting, or harsh. This discouragement particularly affects members of disprivileged demographics, but it is not limited to them. Therefore, we ask all contributors to make a conscious effort, in GNU Project discussions, to communicate in ways that avoid that outcome—to avoid practices that will predictably and unnecessarily risk putting some contributors off. These guidelines suggest specific ways to accomplish that goal. ## Checklist 1. [ ] Please assume other participants are posting in good faith, even if you disagree with what they say. 2. [ ] Please think about how to treat other participants with respect, especially when you disagree with them. 3. [ ] Please do not take a harsh tone towards other participants, and especially don't make personal attacks against them. 4. [ ] Please recognize that criticism of your statements is not a personal attack on you. 5. [ ] Please avoid statements about the presumed typical desires, capabilities or actions of some demographic group. 6. [ ] Please be especially kind to other contributors when saying they made a mistake. 7. [ ] Likewise, be kind when pointing out to other contributors that they should stop using certain nonfree software. 8. [ ] Please respond to what people actually said, not to exaggerations of their views. 9. [ ] If in a discussion someone brings up a tangent to the topic at hand, please keep the discussion on track by focusing on the current topic rather than the tangent. 10. [ ] Rather than trying to have the last word, look for the times when there is no need to reply, perhaps because you already made the relevant point clear enough. 11. [ ] Please don't argue unceasingly for your preferred course of action when a decision for some other course has already been made. 12. [ ] If other participants complain about the way you express your ideas, please make an effort to cater to them. 13. [ ] Please don't raise unrelated political issues in GNU Project discussions, because they are off-topic. Jean
