Re: Harassment, abuse, accountability. and IETF mailing lists

[Miles Fidelman <[e-mail]>]

Tim Bray wrote:
>
> On Mon, Jun 13, 2022 at 10:19 AM Keith Moore 
> <[e-mail] <mailto:[e-mail]>> wrote:
>
>     I am not sure that I agree.   I can certainly see how what you
>     describe
>     could happen.  But the Politeness Police have themselves discouraged
>     participation in IETF, at least in part because some of them were
>     every
>     bit as arrogant and demeaning as your example statement above, and
>     worse, AND they had the backing of the organizational leaders.
>
>
> What we have is at best anecdata, but I strongly disagree.  I have 
> personal experience with wonderful people who have walked away saying 
> some variation on "all those pissy greybeards waiting to pounce".  
> Don't personally know anyone who (a) has walked away because of the 
> "politeness police" and (b) is regretted.
>
> Be kind. It doesn’t hurt.
>
>
Doesn't hurt.  But then again, a bit of snark doesn't hurt either - 
particularly when dealing with clueless newbies with bad cases of 
Dunning-Kruger syndrome, particularly when coupled with prickly 
personalities, quick-to-take-offense, on behalf of others.  The folks 
who are the true barrier to getting useful work done.

Miles Fidelman

-- 
In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice.
In practice, there is.  .... Yogi Berra

Theory is when you know everything but nothing works.
Practice is when everything works but no one knows why.
In our lab, theory and practice are combined:
nothing works and no one knows why.  ... unknown