Re: [Debian account] I request your attention
On Sat, Aug 04, 2001 at 04:56:40AM +1000, Anthony Towns wrote:
> On Fri, Aug 03, 2001 at 03:57:05PM +0200, Lars Bahner wrote:
> > Several people have agreed to the idea that ``you can't demand
> > anything from volunteers'' in this thread.
> >
> > I fail to grasp why that is so apparently self evident. No one can
> > force you to volunteer, but if you do volunteer then you have agreed
> > to do some work and had better do it. Otherwise you should withdraw
> > from your voluntary work - or voluntary duties, as it where.
>
> Is that really an ultimatum you want to be making?
it seemed to be a reasonable statement of principle.
the fact that a person is an unpaid volunteer does not mean that the
obligations they incurred by volunteering aren't real or important.
if a person volunteers to do a job and later finds that they can not
perform their duties for any reason then they have a moral obligation to
step aside, and perhaps even help find a replacement.
if the problem is temporary then they should step aside temporarily and
come back to the job when they are able. if it is permanent, then step
aside permanently.
if the problem is partial (i.e. they can perform some but not all of
their duties) then they should ask for assistance or delegate some of
the work.
if the problem is a conflict-of-interest (and that includes personal
issues such as likes & dislikes of other volunteers) which prevents
someone from performing their duties in an objective manner then they
should declare their conflict of interest and get someone else to make
that particular decision (this doesn't have to be public declaration, it
can be just to the people who appointed them to their position).
the sad thing is that this even needs to be said, let alone argued
about. these are fairly basic ethical principles.
craig
--
craig sanders <cas@taz.net.au>
Fabricati Diem, PVNC.
-- motto of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch
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