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User:Martind: Difference between revisions
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Posting requests to the mailing list
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* The mailing list may seem like a scary place at first, but it is also one of our greatest assets: the community hivemind. It can have great intensity but also often is a source of great wisdom. A place where many voices build on each other, but also a source of many irreconcilable contradictions. Becoming familiar with it this is one of the key rites of passage for new members. | * The mailing list may seem like a scary place at first, but it is also one of our greatest assets: the community hivemind. It can have great intensity but also often is a source of great wisdom. A place where many voices build on each other, but also a source of many irreconcilable contradictions. Becoming familiar with it this is one of the key rites of passage for new members. | ||
* Strong recommendation: always remain polite, and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Assume_good_faith assume good faith]. You're not being helpful if your own replies serve to escalate rather than clarify. See also: our [[Code of Conduct]]. | * Strong recommendation: always remain polite, and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Assume_good_faith assume good faith]. You're not being helpful if your own replies serve to escalate rather than clarify. See also: our [[Code of Conduct]]. | ||
=== Posting requests to the mailing list === | |||
To store things, to borrow tools, ... | |||
* I think we’ve generally made the experience that the nature of a request makes a difference in how it is received. This maybe hasn’t been made as clear (it’s not explicitly stated in the rules), but it’s worth bearing in mind. | |||
* These kinds of requests require us to strike a tricky balance — they’re almost always requests for special treatment, for a little bit of privilege. If we allowed all 800 members every little additional bit of freedom/space/... that someone asked for on the list the system would break down. | |||
* If you’re asking for more, or if you’re posting a last-minute request, then be prepared for people to be sceptical. This is equally about making sure we keep the right balance, as it is about preventing an expectation that it’s OK to send large last-minute requests. With that in mind it maybe becomes clear why sometimes people’s first reactions tend towards declining. | |||
* And yes, when we then also take into account people’s very different personalities, there sometimes can be a general tendency by some people to post moody replies too quickly — but generally I think we’re quite good at then dampening their impact later. As in all matters with large groups, it’s important to acknowledge that there will be opinions that are surprisingly negative, but it’s equally important to realise that these may not be very representative. (Also note that our code of conduct requests that people always be polite.) | |||
* I think our experience also shows that a person’s engagement in the community can greatly affect how their requests for privilege will be received: people will be much more open towards special requests if they know you well, if they’ve seen and been impressed by your work, if they maybe even benefitted from your work or your knowledge. If they’ve seen how much you contribute in other ways. | |||
=== Making Change === | === Making Change === | ||
