RE: Community standards (was Re: [PLUG] What next? and small rant [VMware on Ubuntu])

[Greg Helledy <gregsonh@gra-inc.com>]

> > While this has nothing to do with linux, I don't see how proposing to
> > marry a stripper is insulting to anyone.  Surely people should be free
> > to marry whom they like, regardless of occupation?

>Because locker room jocularity is alienating.

I suppose I am just a Neanderthal but I am unable to understand how 
suggesting humorously (using a filesystem command, no less) that one 
marry a stripper to avoid domestic problems even approaches "locker 
room" (which could certainly be alienating).

>Lyz, as a community
member, is telling you that some members of the community do not
share all aspects of this type of humor.

Which communities are there where all members share all aspects of all 
types of humor?

>There are all too few women involved in PLUG and in computer science
in general. Perhaps a bit of empathy would reveal to you why working
to change this state of affairs is so difficult?  It would be great if
we didn't need organizations like LinuxChix specifically to encourage
participation from women, but given today's realities I'm grateful
that we _do_ have them.

I asked for assistance in understanding what about the post was 
"insulting".  I do not understand why anyone would be insulted by it. 
 I am not in the least insulted by Chippendales.

umount /husband
mount /dev/chippendale /husband
(or:)
mount /dev/chippendale /boytoy

To me, that's FUNNY.  Not as funny as the /dev/stripper one, but only 
because it's not original anymore.  If it's not only unfunny but 
off-limits for PLUG discourse, can I get a bit of help understanding why?

>Insensitivity (even if glazed with a geekish frosting) does not help
us build a community that is welcoming to everyone. By all means, let's
keep a playful sense of humor, but when sensibilities rub together we
need to take 'ubuntu' to heart: humanity to others.

That sounds great.  I really don't think of myself as an insensitive 
clod, but how far is one expected to go to pre-analyze posts and speech 
for potential insults before typing or speaking?  I doubt the original 
poster intended to insult anyone.  Are there any guidelines for this?

http://www.phillylinux.org/faq.html has a link to a definition of a 
"flame", which includes:  "1. vi. To post an email message intended to 
insult and provoke."  Is "mount /dev/stripper /wife" an email message 
intended to insult and provoke?  I'm not seeing it.

Thanks,

Greg Helledy


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