<i>I'm also concerned by reports of abuse, harassment, and discrimination in our community, particularly toward women and other underrepresented groups. Even I have experienced harassment and abuse myself. This may be common in the tech industry but it is not OK.</i><p>Not, it is not OK. And this entire post could have been written about other languages and other communities. Glad that Andrew is saying this for Go.<p>It's amazing the abuse people dole out when they are online and behind a keyboard. When I was running the Alan Turing apology campaign in 2009 I received all sorts of hate in my inbox. I wasn't shocked by it because I've been using the Internet since 1986, but I was saddened.
I'm amazed that an online group whose focus is to talk about a programming language thinks about adopting a code of conduct... I would have thought trying to keep the discussions about the programming language itself would be enough.<p>Is it some kind of american / californian extreme sensitivity to heated debates or has there been a recent invasion of trolls i'm unaware of ?
Agree that mis-conduct on the internet is always in poor taste, and also agree that sometimes pointers can help people with some basic tips that make their quest to give or receive help more palatable.<p>Having said that, I certainly hope that this does not become some sort of thing that people spend a lot of time worrying about, enforcing, or baby sitting others.<p>For example, the sheer fact that a CoC could exist for go, may mean that people spend time policing rather than programming.<p>Until reading this I was not aware Rust had a CoC. Can anyone comment on the process that was used to create this, and how its going? Is there recourse for someone that is out of line? Is there human energy spent on policing this?<p>For me, programming languages shouldn't dictate CoC. However, I think it makes a lot more sense for communities to. So where do you draw the line between community and programming language? Obviously a programming language like C has no central community really. However with Rust and Go and some others there is main IRC channels and more. I just can't help but feel that the forum, IRC network, etc, should be responsible for the CoC. I don't like that Go could end up having a prescribed culture. Some of the most talented C programmers I know are edgy, intolerable people. I would hate for some of their work to get thrown out because they can't be relied on to have a sane discussion 1/2 the time.<p>What can we really do as community to enforce it at the language level really? I can see someone being banned from a forum. But, what if they don't stop using Golang? Seems like something that is impossible to police.
The problem with a Code of Conduct is that for it to have any meaning, it needs to be enforced--someone has to kick out repeat offenders, otherwise the code is just words. For this reason, having a code that reflects "what we aspire to," rather than "don't do this," is laudable, but probably not workable. At some point, I believe, you have to state consequences for specific actions.
Since the CoCs started to be a thing I always though that they were unnecessary because I growth with the mantra: "do unto others as you would have them do unto you".<p>Said that, sadly, this doesn't seem to be a true statement in tech and a CoC doesn't hurt. I am ok with Go getting one if it's going to make people feel more welcomed on the community.
As long as it is only about trying to get people to think about what they are saying that seems ok, but I suspect it will only degrade into a pitchfork mob on most occasions.<p>Really as others have suggested the only required "rule" is: talk about programming.
> <i>I'm also concerned by reports of abuse, harassment, and discrimination in our community, particularly toward women and other underrepresented groups. Even I have experienced harassment and abuse myself. This may be common in the tech industry but it is not OK.</i><p>I find it hard to imagine other professionals (doctors, lawyers, accountants, even other engineering disciplines) behaving like this.<p>Is that a failure of imagination on my part or is IT/CS particularly toxic?
I'm sad to see more political correctness invading these circles.<p>A few years ago, I was so happy to see a girl every now and then at our LUG. Me and the other guys were jumping over each other to help her.<p>After years of seeing censorship and lives ruined over off-hand comments, I immediately see women instinctually view her as a risk.<p>Is she a lawsuit? Is she going to report me for code of conduct violations when things don't go her way?<p>Sure, the women may laugh at my jokes for a few months. But when I eventually tell her no for a reason based on her shortcomings, she can conveniently report me for revenge.<p>Institionalizing political correctness breeds biases and hatred. It's a pressure cooker. You can't even criticize this stuff without being outed as a heretic.
Is "you should, at every opportunity, declare how you can do useful work without generics, and that people asking for them haven't done any real work in Go" in there?