[GNC] Project moderation and governance

[Borden]

I have used GNUCash for over 16 years personally and professionally. I hoped to repay the effort into the project  by contributing knowledge from my professional accounting training and experience - plus some amateur programming skills. I hoped that this knowledge could help the project grow and benefit everybody.

In early September, a user on the devel list said several incorrect and insulting things. I replied firmly, yet tactfully, in a single message explaining why the user was wrong. I let it go after that.

Some seven hours later, someone who self-identified as a moderator called me an "offender" on-list - as if I'm a criminal - and e-mailed me personally to say:

> I don't permit this on our mailing lists.
> I privately email offenders, like this to keep it quiet.

I asked this person which code of conduct I breached. I should know what's expected of me. I received this reply:

> you participated in an argument which was not about the code.
> you followed up on an unacceptable post - that's my job.

Fair enough, but there is no way of knowing what the rules are, and I spoke up because nobody else did to curb misinformation. The mod continued:

> these policies are not written and promulgated, so I don't have to get
> into any discussion, I just make a ruling.

This is troubling. Codes of conduct are fundamental to organisations of any size. Rules tell members what is expected of them and provides fair and consistent ways to resolve problems. Letting one person "just make a ruling" leads to abuse. We abandoned Tudor courts where members curry favour with arbitrary rulers claiming divine right for this reason.

I suggested that this person communicate expectations in a more welcoming and inclusive way. I also conceded that I might have misread the tone, and so I offered to help with future communication.

This person ignored my feedback and accused me disparaging doctors. It's a ridiculous thing to say - I owe my life to medicine many times over! It is ironic to be  accused of being disrespectful and irrelevant - without evidence - in a disrespectful and irrelevant e-mail.

I don't want to be bullied. To be certain, I support moderation. I'm saying that there's a good way to communicate expectations and manage conflict, and there's what this person did.

I wanted to become an active GNUCash contributor, improve documentation (starting with explaining what "debit" and "credit" mean, since there's still a lot of misunderstanding and misinformation) and help users with their accounting issues, but I also I appreciate that nobody cares whether I stay. Nevertheless, I can't see talent gravitating to toxic environments, so I want to appeal to the project's admins in hopes that there will be change lest the project suffocate itself.