[TriLUG] Code of Conduct

[Glenn Starling]

On Mon, 2007-08-13 at 12:18 -0400, Phillip Rhodes wrote:
> On 8/13/07, Kevin Otte <nivex at nivex.net> wrote:
> My only real objection to writing it down is that it then becomes a political issue.  People get to start quibbling over the exact content of it, the interpretation of
> it, and get to try and use it as a sword to attack people they may disagree with.
> 
> My personal opinion is that the best solution is still three part:
> 
> A. self-policing.  If somebody says something on the list that $SOMEBODY thinks is off-topic or inappropriate, let $SOMEBODY contact the poster (on list or
> off) and ask - respectfully - that they end that line of discussion.   And PLEASE, no responses back to that message if it was on-list!  Either the request will be
> respected or not.  More meta-discussion at that point is just noise.
> 
> B. If $SOMEBODY finds that the objectionable discussion is still continuing, kill-file the participants.
> 
> C. Ultimately the in-place SC at any point in time uses their subjective interpretation of what's in the best interest of the LUG to decide whether or not to intervene, and
> to decide what the appropriate intervention is.
> 
> 
> I really don't think we're going to do much better than that, even if we do implement some written CoC.
> 
> 
> Phil


It is a political issue, whether we want it to be or not.  You are
correct that the Steering Committee uses their interpretation of the
current problems.  But without some guidelines the SC opens itself to
the legal issues that might prove detrimental if (1) fairness in
handling all situations alike, (2) slander or defamation, and (3)
overstepping your authority by removing membership "privileges" without
written policy should ever be examined in court.  It puts you guys on
the SC in hot water!

BTW, the policy is best that governs us least!  Give us the freedom, but
provide the MINIMUM policy necessary to deal with REAL problems.

-- Glenn