The Django Code of Conduct (CoC) has long been held up as a an exemplar. It’s been a direct influence on many similar efforts across numerous projects. It was an early, and strident, declaration of the values that we wish to maintain as community. It’s something we should be proud of.
At the same time, we shouldn’t rest on our laurels. The CoC, alas, still leaves plenty of room for bad, and unpleasant behaviour. Folks, for their own reasons, skirt the edges of the CoC. Behaviour which clearly violates the spirit of the CoC, but which is hard to muster the energy for enforcement against, is thus allowed to pass.
Aggression, passive or not, demeaning comments, sexism, and all the rest of it are still quite prevalent.
It’s time to tighten the notch. We can do, and expect, better.
In all my projects going forward I will be employing the notion of a Code the Conduct++: Any behaviour not in accordance with the spirit of the CoC++ is in violation of it.
What does that mean in practice? Easy: just look at the headline items in Django’s CoC:
It’s easy. You know what that means, and you know when you’re not doing it.
Need another thought? Imagine you’re a guest in my house. Behave accordingly. I didn’t understand is bullshit. Level up.
We can, and do, expect better behaviour in 2025 and beyond.
The CoC++ applies from now in all my projects. How about you give a try in yours too?