Re: Add Code of Conduct (issue 575620043 by address@hidden)

[Kieren MacMillan]

Hi all,

I was just lurking, but now feel I should comment.

Here are my thoughts, in stream-of-consciousness order:

1. There were times ca. 2014–2017 (which was a rather tough time in my life) in 
which my list behaviour should certainly have triggered an "issue" under any 
reasonably-constructed CoC. Looking back, I wish there *had* been a codified 
CoC that people (e.g., moderators) could have pointed me to in order to "call 
me in" on that behaviour.

2. In many (most?) modern democracies, the executive and judicial branches are 
equal and separate, at least in design. In situations where that separation 
dissolves or the equality balance is tipped heavily in favour of one branch or 
the other, the rest of the [democratic] world sees it for what it is: a huge 
step backwards in the march towards overall social progress. More than a CoC, I 
feel like what the Lilypond development community needs is a check-and-balance 
system that keeps single gatekeepers from unilaterally shutting down 
non-gatekeeping contributors, a [non-partisan] Supreme Court to which an 
"ordinary citizen" can take a case against the President, if you will. Without 
the assurance that there is such a recourse, having a CoC is likely to do no 
better than the "gentleman’s agreement" that, for a few decades, kept most 
politicians from bull-running pell-mell through society’s china shops but is 
clearly no longer in play.

3. Just a few days ago, we were all excitedly speaking of the surge in 
development activity that arose after the [wonderful!] Salzburg conference; now 
I feel like we’re holding our collective breath wondering if that bubble is 
about to burst over a discussion of the benefits and drawbacks of a CoC. I take 
Mike’s note as the canary in that coal mine, and I’m personally crushed to see 
that it came up from the mine-depths dead in its bucket.

4. I really need to avoid using and mixing strange analogies and metaphors when 
I’m writing on mailing lists, especially those with significant international 
membership.  =)

That’s it, really. IMO we could avoid having a CoC — at least for now — *and* 
keep developers from jumping ship (or slowly drifting away) if there were just 
a clear and agreed-upon path through/around potential blocked gates. I can’t 
begin to suggest what that might look like, but my instinct says there are 
enough smart and experienced people on this list that we should be able to 
design and implement such a "safety valve" pretty quickly and painlessly.

Best,
Kieren.
________________________________

Kieren MacMillan, composer (he/him/his)
‣ website: www.kierenmacmillan.info
‣ email: address@hidden