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This section should be required reading to get on the internet http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html#not_losin...

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The scenario described there would be considered harassment under modern Codes of Conduct. Describing the reaction as behaving like a "loser" is likely offensive itself.

While you're likely right in describing the status quo, it's unfortunate that it has come to that.

The one thing that's really objectionable in that section is the last part about people who attack or flame without apparent reason. Such people should be called out by other community members in the same way ESR describes for newcomers in the first part of the section.

Agreed. The excessive, unprovoked flaming is IMO a case in which people should intervene, as per earlier paragraph, "Community standards do not maintain themselves: They're maintained by people actively applying them, visibly, in public." Other than that, spot on.

That's because that was not a required reading and the on-line communities (particularly around OSS) got overrun by people exhibiting the behavior in question.

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