Possible addition to the list
domgetter opened this issue · comments
One suggestion from Reddit was to add in the rule that no off-topic discussion is allowed as part of the NCoC.
I'm opening this issue for discussion on this suggestion.
Arguments for:
Explicit disapproval from flame-baiting discussion and knowledge that any occurrence will be met with a ban or some kind of warning.
Being explicit is better than rules being shrouded in mystery and applied with caprice.
Arguments against:
The NCoC has no say in what can and cannot be said. It would be out of the scope of the NCoC.
Not allowing for off-topic discussion harms a lot of possible sort-of-related and harmless discussion on topics within the scope of the project at hand.
Alternative:
Instead of making it one of the rules, offer the suggestion in the FAQ to state that no off-topic discussion is allowed.
Or, offer a venue for off-topic discussion and point "offenders" to the proper place when wanting to discuss such matters, and separate project-related discussion and unrelated discussion.
Your thoughts?
I am against this change.
I would be for this change if there was a way to objectively define it. Unfortunately, there is not. (Not that I know of, anyways. Although if someone could rephrase this in an objective manner I wouldn't have this objection.)
And given that there is no objective definition, it seems to me that this rule would just end up with communities and projects get stuck endlessly debating as to what exactly is and is not "off-topic discussion", i.e. how members should behave in their communities.
And the NCoC is "[d]esigned to help you find communities and projects that will not get stuck endlessly debating how members should behave in their communities" (emphasis added).
As such, this would go rather directly against the concept of NCoC.
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Echoing @TheLoneWolfling 's comment here, this introduces something that can't be objectively defined. Anything can be made part of your project if twisted and pushed hard enough.
Keep it technical, shut up and code. Nothing else matters. If anyone tries bringing other crap in, point them at rule 3.
There will be a need to define a explicit definition of a off-topic conversation medium, this is really not an okay change for me, so I call -1 on this. Unless you can define the entity for this, it would end up vague and questionable