[GNC] Project moderation and governance

[Jim DeLaHunt]

Hi, Borden:

I too have been using GnuCash for quite a while. I too follow the 
gnucash-devel list, so I think I read the thread[1] to which you refer. 
I sympathise with your frustration. I noted some rude and insulting talk 
directed at you from someone else on that thread.

However, I can't agree with the level of direness in your message below. 
What you are pointing out are imperfections in a generally strong and 
well-run project. I don't see this as something seriously wrong with 
product moderation or governance.

I also don't agree with some of your characterisations of that thread, 
at least of I saw in the public list posts. You say that you replied "in 
a single message" to a user who said several incorrect and insulting 
things. I see you posting five times in reply to at least three people. 
You say that 'a moderator called me an "offender" on-list - as if I'm a 
criminal'. I saw one post from a moderator[2], referring to "offenders", 
but not identifying you are anyone else as the offenders. You say, 
"[t]his person" [in context, seems to refer to "someone who 
self-identified as a moderator"]  "ignored my feedback and accused me 
disparaging doctors." This seems out of character for the moderator. I 
of course don't know the content of private messages between that 
moderator and you. But I did see a message to you which seemed to accuse 
you of disparaging doctors. That message was  from a person who was rude 
and insulting in general, not from the moderator.

You are more likely to persuade someone like me of a need for better 
product moderation or governance, if I can see that your summary of the 
evidence matches how I read that evidence.

Sure, it would be better for this project to have a well-written and 
well-followed code of conduct, rather than the current unwritten one. 
But an unwritten code is better than some alternatives — including a 
poorly-written code of conduct, or a code which is flouted. I can point 
you to other projects which demonstrate those alternatives.

And my experience with Liz the moderator[2] is good. She intervened last 
year when a GnuCash community member was being rude and abusive, to me 
and others, on a scale and for a duration much greater than the thread 
above. She gave that person warnings, threatened a block, and then the 
abuse stopped. I will take that moderation over some of the 
alternatives. I appreciate her work.

You say, "I appreciate that nobody cares whether I stay." Well, I care. 
This project has a lot which needs doing. Many hands make light work. As 
a fellow participant, I would rather have your contributions. But also, 
don't expect everyone to agree with you.

You say,  "I can't see talent gravitating to toxic environments". I 
can't either, but oh my, this environment does not qualify as "toxic". I 
could show you some which do. The environment here is actually pretty 
good. Don't expect it to be free of minor bruises. I get some myself 
from time to time. But they heal. This project isn't bad.

Best regards,
      —Jim "no strong opinions on Fiscal Year terminology" DeLaHunt, 
Vancouver, Canada

[1] 
https://lists.gnucash.org/pipermail/gnucash-devel/2021-September/045946.html 
and another thread which was part of the original discussion but is at 
the top level of the archive listing for some reason.

[2] 
https://lists.gnucash.org/pipermail/gnucash-devel/2021-September/045973.html

On 2021-10-01 02:49, Borden via gnucash-user wrote:
> 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.
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