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List:       kde-devel
Subject:    Re: KDE4: missing features from KDE3
From:       Parker Coates <parker.coates () gmail ! com>
Date:       2009-08-05 2:09:37
Message-ID: 85d347350908041909p5d206dffs6b9f0f3a4eb48db1 () mail ! gmail ! com
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On Tue, Aug 4, 2009 at 18:16, Aaron J. Seigo wrote:
> On Tuesday 04 August 2009, Parker Coates wrote:
>> Being a KDE contributor is like being part of a sports team. If a
>> player behaves inappropriately, his teammates can call him on it. Even
>> if he disagrees, he's likely change his behaviour to avoid losing face
>> with the team. If he doesn't the team can take corrective action by
>> letting him play less or kicking him off the team entirely.
>
> the problem is that i'm expected to and am trying to work with these people.
> they are not fans when they interact with me on bugs.kde.org, file something
> on brainstorm or throw a list from a wiki at me, they are participants.
>
> with a fan, you can just ignore them in the stands. they aren't on the
> sidelines trying to coach you or get you warmed up to go back on the field.

Apparently you've never had to deal with Canadian hockey parents. :)

Okay, so while I think it's a decent analogy for the dynamics within
the two groups, I admit it doesn't really describe the relationship
between the two. (Although it would be cool to see some giant foam
fingers and airhorns when making particularly important commits.)

> now, if fans who have no responsibility or team connection happening are
> allowed to participate, i guarantee you that many and probably even most
> people who are part of the team will just leave that area.
>
> imagine if fans were allowed down into the coach's box in a sports game?
> mayhem! and players would go somewhere else.

Again, you're giving me scary flashbacks to a childhood of minor hockey.

> now, i don't expect fans to get involved and participate and i'm just fine
> handling them "out there" beyond the playing field. i did that for years
> during kde3. but what's happened is that they've stepped on to the playing
> field (we invited them to join us as members of the team) but are behaving
> like fans and are tolerated as such.
>
> so, i can say what does and doesn't work for a contributor, and the involved
> user base can choose to ignore that. we will end up segregated more than ever.
>
> or ... we can build systems that reward positive contribution and build team
> spirit.
>
> brainstorm is a nice start to that; it needs workflow improvements, but at
> least it's collaborative, it's positive, it's easy for users to use and it
> looks pretty. we need to improve things like brainstorm and see more systems
> like it.

I entirely agree. But even if we developed a whole plethora of tools
that encourage positive contribution, respect for others, world peace,
community spirit and ponies, we would still have to deal with the
appearance of trolls who'll crap on everyone's parade with negativity
and shortsightedness. In today's Internet culture I see no way around
it, so we can't hold the community responsible for their existence. Of
course every individual in the community is responsible for how they
respond to and deal with such types, so maybe that's where we should
be focusing our efforts

Parker
 
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