Re: Disputes between developers - content, draft #4
>>"Ian" == Ian Jackson <ian@davenant.greenend.org.uk> writes:
Ian> I think you must have a different experience to me. I've found
Ian> that many developers don't seem to share enough of the context
Ian> and unspoken rules.
I agree that develoeprs may come from different cultures and
contexts -- but humans have been herd animals ancestors since pre
Homo Afarensis, and the ability to interact in a social group is a
common trait amongst human tribes.
Ian> I think writing them down will help. I
Going down and writing too musch simplitic detail loses the
relevant content in a forest of inanity.
Ian> also think it might produce some useful pressure on those people
Ian> who ought to know better but lapse occasionally. (And I'm not
Ian> excluding myself here.)
Ian> If you still disagree with me on this, I don't really see that I'm
Ian> going to make much headway with addressing that point, because it's a
Ian> fundamental part of the purpose and style of what I'm trying to
Ian> achieve - ie, I don't think I'd do justice to your opinions even if I
Ian> put aside my disagreement.
Since I do still disagree, I suspect that this shuts out most
of my contribution to your document.
Ian> It's also really difficult to have a sensible conversation about these
Ian> questions, because they are so subjective.
Ian> I would say: does it really hurt so much to have a few platitudes, and
Ian> some motherhood and apple pie ? It seems that you're not actually
Ian> disagreeing with what's said, but just saying that it shouldn't be
Ian> said at all even though it's true - which seems strange to me.
It is a matter of presentation. A guide book on ettiquette
needs to get the buy in of the people that are supposed to accept and
follow it (unless it is meant to be rammed down the projects throat
by fiat). And large tracts that irritate people (well, they irritate
me, and I am projecting that I am not the only one), then the whole
document stands in danger of being dismissed.
Ian> My experience is that sensible conversations about eg bug
Ian> reports can easily become derailed by categorical statements
Ian> like that by the maintainer. The results are often that the
Ian> submitter just gets angry, and things go downhill from there.
Yes. But I contend that there are still situations where a
categorical statement _is_ the only correct response -- and I do
think that there are scenrarios where being up front an honest rather
then equivocating in order not to ``hurt'' feeling is better. I am
not advocating one needs be abrasive and in your face.
Can we just tone down the paragraph, and state instead that in
most cases, one should examine the issue with care before making
categorical statements, since often categorical statements made in
the heat of debate may lock one in an untenable position when tempers
cool?
Ian> So, I strongly disagree - I think these comments are important, and
Ian> the fact that you disagree with them shows that at least they're not
Ian> content-free ...
The difference is mostly one of presentation, and how
condescending the paragraph appears. Reasonable people, current
company included, have made similar errors. Talking down to them like
they are social misfits rubs people the wrong way.
>> > 6. Bug report etiquette
Ian> I've run out of time for this in-detail writing now, but I'll deal
Ian> with this section of your mail later.
manoj
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