RE: Terminology discussion threads

[Larry Masinter <[e-mail]>]

The IETF designs its processes in the various BCPs using the skills of protocol designers in these network-intermediated human-to-human protocols.

Meetings, virtual-meetings, emails, chat rooms, mailing lists, internet-drafts, RFCs, are all human-to-human protocols, along with nomcom and SaS.

As with most Internet protocols, we need to change how we work in response to changing conditions.  As with most Internet protocols, we have to balance the requirements of the different types of participants, and that results in some balance and sometimes friction depending on "whose ox is being gored". 

As with most Internet protocols, it is in some cases necessary to protect the systems from disruption, either by intention, or unintentional side effects of our protocol implementations.

In general, human recipients of communications (such as emails or internet drafts or published RFCs) have, as part of their input function, varying degrees of reaction "finding the language offensive", which interferes with their ability to receive the technical content of the communication.

Those who communicate with many recipients (especially through long-term archived communications such as internet-drafts and RFCs) should choose language that conveys the technical content without the "offended" reaction.
The same robustness rules apply on widely subscribed mailing lists.

Five years ago about, I left the appsarea mailing list, because I was offended, and unable to convince anyone to act further than to admonish the poster and, incredibly, me.
What heinous phrase had he used that I found so offensive?
 That I "sounded like a bulldog farting out a nest of angry wasps".
It really drove me crazy. "Why not a chihuahua? Or a Saint Bernard? 
"Why wasps and not bumblebees?"    So I unsubscribed.

My point in telling this story is that there is no clear, identifiable boundary between language that would cause participants to leave the group or choose not to engage, and language that is not. It doesn't mean there is no difference. 

The IETF is a global, apolitical technical decision-making body. Attacks on such bodies are widespread. Trolls and sock-puppets are well-known vectors for disruption, and getting us to focus on nonsense (perhaps this message? I hope not). 

In the meanwhile, try not to offend anyone, or to be easily offended.

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https://LarryMasinter.net https://interlisp.org