The new Ubuntu Community Council has just voted in a new revision of the Ubuntu Code of Conduct.
The Code of Conduct is credited with setting the tone of the Ubuntu community and making it welcoming and comfortable to newbies who were turned off by other elitist, RTFM-happy distribution communities that were sadly common. It is the code that drew me in to the Ubuntu community.
The Code of Conduct has been forked. It has been complimented with derivatives.
But why did the code need to change?
The Ubuntu community has grown a heck of a lot since the Code of Conduct was written (in the space of a day, nonetheless). There are now more governance boards/councils/brains trusts than there were in 2004.
My hope is that the Code can continue to be the pillar of the Ubuntu community for another 5 years and onwards.
I think however, we will need a new section before that can happen. We need a Toes Clause.
The Toes Clause
If you witness someone stepping on someone else’s toes; do not harangue the person with the bruised toes for being hurt, simply because you did not feel the crush. If you step on someone’s toes; apologise for stepping on their toes. Resist the urge to point to an inconsiderate witness, or people whose toes you have not yet stepped on, as excuses for not apologising.
Once the Code of Conduct has this clause*, I’m positive that things will be a lot clearer for some people.
* No, I am not really proposing it should be added to the real UCoC. I am suggesting that some people ought to take it on board though, because they seriously don’t seem to be able to see it in the UCoC as it stands.
Melissa you’re so funny xD
btw, I used liferea on ubuntu, not safari :(
they need to fix their ua
At various times of my career I have made a good living being employed by folks who needed to have their toes stepped on and/or step on the toes of others. As a semi-professional toe-stepper/cookie-baker combo, I assure you that failure to ever step on toes leads to disaster, no matter how small the group. Also, there are times when you need to step on the same toe repeatedly before giving them a cookie, because otherwise you end up in a hurt-cookie-hurt-cookie-hurt-cookie pattern that benefits no-one.
You have totally missed the point.
You’re not describing toe-stepping. You’re describing hitting people upside the head. Different things.
I think this is a great idea. :)
That whole paragraph would be glossed over by the pepped-up eyeballs of those who are out to screw everybody else for the uncommon good
Perhaps a more simple clause with a pointer to some rules for those who can’t/won’t understand the general idea? ie
\Don’t be an arse*\
for definition of arse, if you are too dense to figure it out see appendix ….
..append details as desired.
As a generic toe stepping observation (emphatically nothing to do with any specific toe), most people learning to dance step on a few toes, it is a learning experience – but one which merits a swiftly given and accepted apology. Those who don’t learn will presumably find fewer partners willing to dance and should take up an alternative pastime.
Anyhow, I didn’t come here just to stretch a metaphor, but to add to your collection of forked Ubuntu codes of conduct, this one isn’t the actual CoC but the Ubuntu forum rules were borrowed (CC licensed) for the rules of the most excellent Omlet forum. Free as in Free Range.