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From: Jan Lehnardt <jan@apache.org>
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Subject: Re: FOSDEM 2017 Open Source Conference - Brussels
Date: Thu, 12 Jan 2017 15:55:11 +0100
References: <529FD015-B33C-4938-8DD4-1D669151EAFB@apache.org>
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 <pony-6f3336ac3b851b1f9c66944c71ee4af43129bf71-c0de5999f7c84670a8618fe65d4d5bd2d436da82@dev.couchdb.apache.org>
To: "dev@couchdb.apache.org Developers" <dev@couchdb.apache.org>
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archived-at: Thu, 12 Jan 2017 15:00:38 -0000


> On 12 Jan 2017, at 15:44, Rich Bowen <rbowen@apache.org> wrote:
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> On 2017-01-12 08:12 (-0500), Jan Lehnardt <jan@apache.org> wrote:=20
>> CouchDB Dev list & Sharan,
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>> I would not recommend attending FOSDEM.
>>=20
>> Their Code of Conduct is not up to modern standards (despite numerous =
attempts asking for improvement) and their past year=C3=A2=C2=80=C2=99s =
incident handling has been sub-par to say the least.
>>=20
>> Your mileage my vary.
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> They've got a CoC this year - =
https://fosdem.org/2017/practical/conduct/ -  which is a step in the =
right direction. While I agree that FOSDEM has a LONG way to go in terms =
of diversity, I think we should celebrate a step in the right direction, =
while also encouraging more steps.
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> I think they're trying to move in the right direction, and need our =
help.

This is the same CoC three years running, despite feedback. The handling =
of issues last and year before that was non-existant (I can=E2=80=99t =
share details, obviously), so I have little hope, let alone cause to =
celebrate.

I=E2=80=99m not concerned about diversity, but people=E2=80=99s safety. =
The volunteer team is not equipped or even prepared to handle incidents =
concerning personal safety, and have in the past, exacerbated the =
problem even. We can talk diversity when we got safety done. Maslov=E2=80=99=
s hierarchy and all.


> To be blunt, as a young white man with a long beard, I think that you =
are in a pretty good position to help that process. I don't agree that =
boycotting the event is what's helpful.

I=E2=80=99ve spent my share the past three years trying to educate them =
to no avail. I personally don=E2=80=99t feel safe at their event. I just =
want to make sure people don=E2=80=99t go in without knowing this.


> With a great deal of help from Sharan, there's a Community devroom =
this year, and there's a Documentation track that has community-focused =
talks, and I feel like the event is making a concerted effort to improve =
this particular aspect. But they're at the point in the process where =
they can use a lot of help.
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> Having a CoC (even a well written one) is, as you are keenly aware, =
only part of the larger picture. I'd love to see you (like, you, Jan, =
specifically) stand up to volunteer to be part of the FOSDEM committee =
for 2018 to specifically address this issue. I can't think of anyone =
better.

I=E2=80=99d suggest the devroom adapts this: =
http://confcodeofconduct.com (which I help maintain), or similar, if =
that doesn=E2=80=99t exist already. Other devrooms have had better CoCs =
than FOSDEM in general in the past, so making sure the ASF one is up to =
snuff is the least we can do.

This isn=E2=80=99t do distract from the hard work that goes into FOSDEM =
or the ASF devroom there, but this is the absolute minimum you need to =
do BEFORE you run an event these days.

Best
Jan
--


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