Re: [OT] aggressiveness on our mailing lists.
la, 2009-07-25 kello 23:12 +1000, Ben Finney kirjoitti:
> If what remains is an attack upon an *idea*, so be it; ideas don't have
> feelings and are not automatically deserving of respect or politeness.
> “This is a silly idea” attacks no-one and is impolite to no-one. Let
> those who support the idea come to its defense as they choose; if an
> idea has no able defenders, let it fall under the attack to clear the
> way for better ideas.
While that is true in principle, it is also true that people often have
an emotional attachment to ideas they propose, and may be unable to
fully prevent the feeling that an attack on their idea is also partially
an attack on themselves. (It doesn't help that sometimes that is true.)
It is thus often more constructive to express criticism in a gentle and
genteel fashion. This does not require approval of a bad idea.
For example, in the specific case under discussion, the criticism might
have been expressed something like this instead:
I think this is a bad idea. It creates extra work for developers
just to retain their membership in the project. The proposal so
far has been based on activities that developers do anyway, and
that is good. Inventing new things DDs must do to keep their
membership is a bad idea.
I also think unsolicited pings to active developers are a bad
idea and should be avoided.
Now, if there is active work going on that does not reflect
itself in uploads, then I can see using a signed/encrypted email
to a role address every couple of years or so could be a
workaround to the automatic MIA process. That should be the
exception, though. Almost everyone should be covered by the
usual process.
I believe that if such wording could have avoided the current
sub-thread, so we could have concentrated on the actual issues.
(My apologies to Manoj if I have misinterpreted his feelings and
thoughts. My apologies to everyone for continuing the meta-discussion.)
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