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List:       kde-devel
Subject:    Political Correctness and Kde
From:       John Califf <jcaliff () compuzone ! net>
Date:       2000-12-06 2:52:17
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This is my response to the issue of political correctness in free
software projects and getting people involved.  I don't care to deal
with specific incidents too much or how specific individuals may respond
to a person (myself) who is not particularly concerned with political
correctness, and by not being concerned allowed several of you to be a
little more outgoing and show a somewhat human interest in another
person who had something to offer the project.  You even failed to
notice that this person has a lot to offer kde as a developer.  Who is
the male chauvinist here?

You may all be aware of a lack of developers in Kde over the age of 40
and and total lack of female developers.  If you want more older
developers and female developers, political correctness is not the
answer. It's the problem.  To get people involved you must meet them
halfway as individuals and show an interest in what interests them,
regardless of the risks.  Let's not pretend for a second that 90% of us
do not want to have female developers working on Kde, precisely because
they are female.  You like women, or not? Well, why aren't they involved
now?  

Women who develop software for a living rarely if ever want to get
involved in free software projects in their spare time. There are many
reasons for this.  I have my therories, but dare not express them here
for fear of a lawsuit.  

I do know that political correctness is not the answer, because it is an
entirely negative force, without a heart or a mind.  Let me put it this
way.  Often I write long emails in which my opinion and my feelings are
mixed in with technical discussions and accompany attached code.  It's
not possible for me to compartmentalize my life into neat little boxes.
Why should I.  This is not a corporation, but a free software project.  
Generally, women are also this way.  They can put up with the rat-race
at work and will work on free software if paid, but perfer a more
balanced life in which the expression of feelings and ideas have an
equal footing.
For example, even using the word "I" is frowned upon here, and that kind
of impersonality is unappealing to women, unless they are of the
hardcore office manager variety.  These types tend not to be coders.

Older programmers are likewise uninterested in the rat race.  Many are
looking to retirement - those who still have jobs in the industry. To
involve such people also requires meeting them halfway as individuals,
not necessarily expecting them to fit into the corporate culture that
currently predonomates in the IT industry in which competitiveness plays
too great a role.    

Spending a number of hours a day developing software in relative
isolation and communicating with coworkers only through mailing lists is
something strange and different for me.  While this allows quick access
to people who are widely separated geographically and rapid progress in
software development work, it can be very deuhumanizing.  Things should
therefore be more, not less personal, and very little is off topic.  

It has now reached the point where many people who report bugs,
especially of the "wishlist" and "suggestion" types, apologize in
advance for not having the "correct" attitude about all the sacrifices
people are making for Kde, because they have been flamed for making
suggestions, usually by people who are being paid to work on Kde. 
Excuse me for breathing, but your Kde has a few design flaws.  If
someone has irrelevant comments or very naive suggestions, a reply from
one person is usually sufficient. Instead we often have a feeding
frenzy, as even more predators are attracted by the taste of blood and
the thrashing of the victim as he is taken down by sanctimonious snots.  

All of this is very relevant to Kde development because we need more
developers in several areas, as well as people who can influence the
overall direction of the project in other constructive ways.  While it
is possible to have too many people involved, we currently don't have
that problem by a long shot.

Perhaps there is nothing you can do to attract more female and older
coders to Kde.  This may require a change in the software industry
generally - in its values and the kind of subculture it spawns.  Things
could be much worse.  At least Kde has an open attitude where anyone who
wants to contribute is welcome, and anyone who really wants to be
involved can do that at some level.  

I do not usually respond to emails that contain implied threats, or to
emails which have the tone of a reprimand from a high school principal. 
I will never apologize to anyone for being human.  Call your lawyers! If
you are looking for a response to such mails, you will rarely get one
from me. Likewise, if you regard this to be offensive, don't read on and
be sure to delete.

All of us can improve our communications in this kind of work which is
something new in human history.  But this requires becoming more
personal, not less.  More honest, not more politically correct. 
Eventually the distinction between "work" and the rest of life fades
away into a better kind of existence. 

Have a nice day,

John Califf

PS.  Of course I knew that David Faure is married.  But he is also
French. He is not supposed to SAY that he's married. :)
 
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