[Linux-aus] An Open Letter to the Open Source Community

[Pia Waugh]

Hi Melissa,

This is a good post covering a very important point, but I'd like to
communicate it slightly differently if I may. I've had this discussion many
times now and I truly believe that as a community we (the global FOSS
community) have the opportunity to create a better world for everyone. We
have core beliefs of equal access, personal empowerment, freedom and a JDI
mentality that means anyone can play and will be largely judged on their
input, not on their background, race, religion or gender.

I would like to extend a broad invitation for everyone in our community to
do their part to make sure we have a positive and beneficial environment in
all our FOSS projects, be they software projects and/or community projects.
None of us should have to tolerate blind biased negativity, and none of us
should stand for behaviours that hurt our communities. I've heard comments
about religion, gender, race and disabilities, and usually in our
communities these are not tolerated by anyone (not just those targeted), but
unfortunately where a project doesn't have strong leadership that rejects
these behaviours, they can sneak in. It takes strong leadership, good
documentation on acceptable behaviours (such as the Ubuntu Code of Conduct)
and action on the part of everyone involved to keep a project positive and
open for anyone to participate. And only by having such open communities can
we ensure that software freedom goes beyond geeks and into the bigger world.

Let's stand together in mutual respect and create a better world, a better
world through the freedoms we all care about.

Cheers,
Pia

-- 
Linux Australia                                         http://linux.org.au/