Re: Development suggestions from an ENSIME developer

[Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>]

> From: Robert Cochran <robert-emacs@cochranmail.com>
> Date: Fri, 22 Jul 2016 15:48:49 -0700
> Cc: emacs-devel@gnu.org
> 
> I know that I'm a relative newcomer to the Emacs lists, and that my
> opinion isn't going to be as highly esteemed as some, but this issue is
> important to me and I feel like I need to make my voice heard.

It has been heard, thanks.

There was never any need to have a code of conduct on the Emacs lists,
and I don't see any need for that now.  Telling people to be nice is
not useful: it has effect only on those who already are.  Telling them
not to be assholes can in some quarters rightfully be interpreted as
an offense to their intelligence.  Etc. etc.  Frankly, having read the
proponents of such a code in the discussion that triggered this one, I
think at least some of them should look in the mirror before they
preach others.

The only conduct we don't tolerate here is extreme rudeness far beyond
any reasonably-civilized behavior.  And even that needs to be repeated
several times, before some kind of "police action" will be taken.
There were very few, maybe two or three, of such cases here.  In other
cases, people might be politely told to take some irrelevant
discussion elsewhere (and even that happens only if a small group is
interested in that topic).

And that's how it should be, IMO: we should not shut up discussions or
oust their originators just because we don't like the way they express
their opinions, or how they format their messages.  A movement that
aspires to bring more freedom cannot IMO manage its forums in any
other way.