Launchpad etiquette document/code of conduct

[HggdH]

On Wed, 2007-05-23 at 02:34 +0200, Steve Alexander wrote:

> = Using real names =
> 
> (snip)
> I think it's fine to use a made-up name, so long as it is your own
> made-up name, and you're not trying to mislead people through using it.
> 
Thank you. Although "not trying to mislead" is a rather vague statement,
I am confident that "hggdh" does not mislead anyone on who I am. I am
hggdh. That's it. This is how I like it, and how I would like it to be
kept. And, given the usual confusion between IRC nick, launchpad Ids,
and etc, this is actually a gain.

> (another snip)

> Although we require real names only in some very specific situations, I
> think that revealing names and identities leads to a better community
> overall.  I've read through a number of accounts of harassment online,
> including some of those on the ubuntu-women mailing list.  I noticed
> that the worst harassment is done by people who do not reveal their
> names.  So, I want us to encourage a community where people reveal their
> names, and are held responsible for their actions.
> 

I do not agree with these assertions. 

"Revealing names and identities leads to a better community overall"

This *might* be true in an office space, and was indeed true of old --
by thy name I know thee --. But we are not all in a physical office
space. I have never met any of you personally, and I do not think I will
ever, at least for most of you. 

This is, by all accepted definitions, a *virtual* community. I really do
not see why knowing my name will make you, or anybody else, believe or
trust me any more than right now (and, BTW, I would expect you to *not*
trust me right now. This is OK. I also do not expect you to trust me
just because you know my name).

A community is made by its members, not by their names.

Additionally, how are we/you going to verify if the name provided is the
actual, real, honest, name of the person? By requiring a fax/scan of the
person's identity card? By having a notarised copy of same?

Otherwise, how sure will we be that -- for example -- hggdh is not Illya
Kuriakin, or Marie Antoinette, or Joe Doe?

In other words: is it really important that the real name is know? If it
is, then we must have procedures that will allow us to verify and
ascertain it beyond reasonable doubt (in which case I will include
myself out. During my professional life I already have to go thru too
many of these procedures...).

"(...) the worst harassment is done by people who do not reveal their
names"

And last, but not least, I do not harass other people -- be it due to
either gender, race, religion, affiliation, membership, or
ignorance-based bigotry. 

And I am still known as hggdh. 

> So, we have a tension between offering anonymity to those who fear being
> harassed and encouraging people to use real names.

There is, unfortunately, a fixation on harassment and anonymity. Please
keep in mind that anonymity is sought *also* because some people would
rather keep a low profile.

And -- guess what -- I do like to keep a low profile. I do not want my
name known by everybody. I do not crave publicity or fame. 

And this is also one reason I have kept, after some hard thinking, my
contributions to the Ubuntu community rather limited.

> (snip again)

> = GPG keys =
> 
> You can use GPG, and be part of the web of trust, without directly
> revealing your real name.  Here's how.

> (snip)

> 4. You use your "real name" key to sign your "nickname" key.  That way,
> your "nickname" key appears in the web of trust.

Perhaps I am missing something here. If I sign my nickname GPG key with
my real-id GPG key, then my real name will be displayable by anyone with
cursory knowledge of GPG/PGP. Yes, there might be other signers to my
key, but now the universe is much more restricted.


--

..hggdh..
non omnis moritur
après moi le déluge
a rose by any other name
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