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Technical communities are formed around common purpose. They are not goals in themselves. Community needs only to be healthy enough to get things done.

Take for example OpenBSD. Theo de Raadt may be an asshole sometimes, but he knows stuff can still steer the technology. OpenBSD is extremely opinionated even technologically, but it's really good.

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This doesn't scale though, and OpenBSD - as much as I love it - is a clear example of that. Compare Theo who remains abrasive at times, and Linus, who realized that project the size of Linux cannot be handled with complete disregard for safe, inviting environment. Toxic leaders are the reason there's this idea that projects that are built on merit somehow must be ruthless and uninviting. It's really easy to e.g. confuse critique and criticism and in result give project the "avoid whenever possible" badge.

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