On 2021-11-30 at 17:36, Kurt Roeckx wrote: > On Thu, Nov 25, 2021 at 07:25:45PM -0800, Russ Allbery wrote: >> 3. Minor changes to ballot options under point A.1.5 may not be made >> after or within 24 hours of the end of the discussion period unless >> the Project Secretary agrees the change does not alter the meaning >> of the ballot option and (if it would do so) warrants delaying the >> vote. The Project Secretary will allow 24 hours for objections >> after any such change before issuing the call for a vote. > > I suggest rewording this to avoid the negative, so remove the > "not", change the "unless" to "if". The same applies to some > of the other points. Speaking only for myself (and as someone not entitled to vote), I would find the result of this more confusing, less understandable, and harder to read - to such an extent that if I ran across it, I would be inclined to suggest rephrasing it to use the negative instead. If I'm parsing my own reaction correctly, the reason is that this would change this from having the prohibition on making such changes during that period be stated explicitly, to having it not be stated directly at all, but only implied in "the exception that proves the rule" fashion. At the very least, I think you'd need to use something like "if and only if" rather than just "if". More complicated rephrasings might produce better results; on that point, see below. > It's also unclear what the "after or within 24 hours" means. I parsed that (together with the rest of the phrase) as meaning that the prohibition on such minor changes takes effect 24 hours prior to the end of the discussion period, and lasts indefinitely thereafter. The reason is that all periods after the end of the discussion period are included by the clause "after the end of the discussion period", so the "within 24 hours of the end of the discussion period" clause can only be extending this backwards from the end, to cover the preceding 24 hours. If I've got that right, then perhaps something like "Minor changes to ballot options under point A.1.5 may only be made until the point 24 hours before the end of the discussion period, unless" might address both points above at once? -- The Wanderer The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man. -- George Bernard Shaw
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