Re: Candidate questions: expulsions process
On Tue, Mar 07, 2006 at 10:36:42AM +0000, MJ Ray wrote:
> The process to expel a developer is described in
> http://lists.debian.org/debian-devel-announce/2005/08/msg00005.html
> I am not sure whether all expulsion attempts get far enough
> to be recorded on -private or -project as described in
> the process, but DDs can check for traffic on those lists
> involving DPL candidates. Personally, I find the reasoning
> of delegates slightly more hopeful than a majority vote,
> but the vagueness of it is still unsettling.
>
> 1. The process "is intended as a last resort" - what steps would
> you take before initiating or supporting it yourself?
Ensure that I really think that a given person is hurting the Debian
project, and that I myself am convinced we as a project would be much
better off with the given individual no longer being a Debian Developer
and hence associated with the Debian project. It's indeed a last resort
action. As such, I would also want to ensure that there has been enough
effort done to ensure that the person in question is made aware of the
problematic behaviour, and was hence given a chance to seize such
behaviour.
> 2. Do you believe it would be fair to cite someone's non-technical
> socio-religious views in the reasoning for or against expulsion?
What matters is behaviour in the broadest sense of the word. This
includes technical behaviour (for example, intentionally jeapordizing
integrity of Debian's infrastructure) but also any other behaviour,
technical or not, that I would consider grossly unfit and hurting the
Debian project in some significant way. Simply holding any random view
won't fit this criterium, people are entitled to their own views. It's
the actual behaviour and actions that count, whether or not they were
inspired by certain views is irrelevant here.
> 3. Do you think the process should be modified and, if so, how?
The process requires involvement of all DD's at some point, and because
of point 2, typically already quite early in the process. Because
expulsion of a person is by nature a very controversial issue, this
risks a big flame -- something that hurts Debian too.
There is no good solution to this, for non-controversial expulsions, the
DAMs will most likely take action themselves because it's by premise
obviously correct to do it. For controversial ones, there'll almost
certainly need to be a DD-wide debate about it, most likely drawing away
a lot of energy that could've been spent on useful things. No matter
what exactly the procedure is, starting it requires a careful tradeoff
between the negative consequences of the procedure, and the negative
consequences of someone remaining DD.
--Jeroen
--
Jeroen van Wolffelaar
Jeroen@wolffelaar.nl (also for Jabber & MSN; ICQ: 33944357)
http://Jeroen.A-Eskwadraat.nl
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