DEV Community

Anirudh
Anirudh

Posted on

Let's talk about the new CoC for Linux

I'm personally not in favour of the new Code of Conduct, as I feel it is unnecessarily political.

What're your thoughts?

Top comments (12)

Collapse
 
defiance profile image
Defiance Black • Edited

I feel it is unnecessarily political.

Hmm.

Let's see...

Acceptable Behavior Example #1:

Using welcoming and inclusive language.

Unacceptable Behavior Example #1:

The use of sexualized language or imagery and unwelcome sexual attention or advances.

It's hard, because you can't say it's overly political (it is) without sounding like you have a problem with inclusion or harassment. The problem seems to be the general wave of... this thing... that has been sweeping every industry in the last... oh, five to ten years. The same thing that sees educated and talented people fired from their jobs for saying something that upset someone (context be damned, a lot of the time).

It finally managed to make its way into the closets of nerds who design kernels. :/

A few years ago it was video games. I'd say the saturation is now complete.

I don't see what was wrong with the original Code of Conflict, but if I pay attention to today's sociopolitical climate, then I see everything that's wrong with it.

It doesn't have the right words/coddling tone that suits the likes of today's sensitivity material. Do a ctrl+f inclusive on the Code of Conflict. 0 matches.

In the current year?

Highly offensive.

Collapse
 
dmfay profile image
Dian Fay • Edited

The previous "code of conflict" was obviously not doing the job it set out to. The new one is fine. Politics are inescapable and even denial in the various forms of "I don't want [flavor of the day] to be unnecessarily political" constitutes a political position in and of itself: preference for a status quo that many if not most people have come to feel inhibits the growth and health of the community. The denunciation of the "unnecessarily political" tends to be a stalking-horse for the sort of libertarian ressentiment we could do with less of overall.

Collapse
 
andrewlucker profile image
Andrew Lucker • Edited

Perpendicularly related question: do you use L*x in your stack?

Collapse
 
dmfay profile image
Dian Fay

Extensively, both at work (Ubuntu) and at home (Arch and a variety of others).

Collapse
 
piatro6 profile image
Ross Barnie

Here's the change in code of conduct for anyone looking: git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kerne....

I don't see what's political in here, particularly. Maybe the punishment for maintainers being determined by "other members of the the project's leadership" which could make the leadership cliquey or insular?

It clearly defines behaviour that no-one working in any professional capacity should have to tolerate and should make it easier for new developers to contribute without fear of the verbal wrath of, in particular, Linus Torvalds. Honestly I think this should have been written and enforced long ago.

Collapse
 
alainvanhout profile image
Alain Van Hout

Despite 'political' being the word that most people bicker about, it more heavily depends on the word 'unnecessary', i.e. (un)necessary for who?

Collapse
 
defman profile image
Sergey Kislyakov

The creator of this new CoC said that this document is political. There's a big Twitter thread about that that sums up everything.

Collapse
 
defiance profile image
Defiance Black

Just as I arrive to linux/oss, it's being dismantled with gasoline and lighters. :(

That said, your link was probably the best story I'll read all day.

Collapse
 
rhymes profile image
rhymes • Edited

Can you link it? I don't follow the kernel development and it might help others find it as well. Thanks

Collapse
 
defiance profile image
Defiance Black
Collapse
 
icyphox profile image
Anirudh

Damn that was well written.