[llvm-dev] RFC: Introducing an LLVM Community Code of Conduct

[Krzysztof Parzyszek via llvm-dev]

On 10/14/2015 8:44 AM, Renato Golin wrote:
> On 14 October 2015 at 14:32, Krzysztof Parzyszek via llvm-dev
> <llvm-dev at lists.llvm.org> wrote:
>
>> The current administrators of the mailing
>> lists, or the organizers of the LLVM conferences already have the means to
>> deal with it.
>
> Not really.
>
> We haven't had to ban anyone from the list or kick anyone from a
> conference yet, but without some form of written agreement, it'd be
> hard to get to any concrete solution if it were to happen.

There is no assumed "right to participate" in the mailing lists, at 
least that's how I see it.  The administrators are not under obligation 
to allow access to everyone.  I agree that having a written CoC would 
make it easier to justify exclusion, but banning someone should not be 
the first remedial action anyway.  It would normally be preceded by some 
sort of communication from the administrators, at which point the nature 
of the offence would be clarified, and only repeated behavior would lead 
to a ban.  This can be done today without any special documents.  This 
relies on the "benevolent authority" of the administrators, which is not 
always granted (although I think this list does not suffer from that). 
On the other hand, a codified CoC could encourage loophole-seeking and 
alternative interpretations of certain passages on the part of the 
intentional offenders.  Ultimately, the administrators would have the 
last word, which is not all that different from the no-CoC approach.

Another problem with a CoC is that if it puts too much stress on "not 
offending" anyone, some people may avoid voicing certain (legitimate) 
thoughts out of fear of being considered offensive.


A conference is a completely different thing, as it is a subject to 
actual law (contract, etc.).  A written CoC for a conference would be a 
good idea, and agreeing to it could be a requirement for participation. 
  The difference there is that this agreement would be legally binding, 
and allow for legal remedies for violations.


-Krzysztof

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