Lecture Notes

Topic: Community Culture and Leadership in Open Source Projects

Main Discussion Points

• Question Raised: How does a leader's abrasive communication style affect the culture of a project?

Speaker's Perspective

• Technology Over Politics: The focus should remain on technology rather than political correctness.
• Cultural Differences: The speaker grew up in a less politically correct culture and a dysfunctional family, which shaped their communication style.
• Different Reactions: People take and give offense differently, and it's part of life.
• Picking Collaborators:
  • Open source projects allow picking co-workers based on compatibility, unlike commercial settings where you're stuck with your boss.
  • Speaker works closely with 20-50 people, with about 1,000 involved per release cycle.
• Honesty over Niceness: The speaker values honesty and acknowledges being abrasive.
  • Some comments are hyperbole and intended as jokes.
• Respect and Earning It:
  • Respect should be earned, not automatically given.
  • The speaker is fine with different viewpoints on this matter.
  • Some people refuse to work with the speaker, and that's a mutual decision sometimes.

Additional Points

• Impact on Community: An abrasive leader can polarize the community but also maintains honesty.
• Handling Offense:
  • People may perceive comments as offensive, but it's also about handling different personalities.
• Balancing Act: There's a balance between maintaining technical focus and human relationships.

Conclusion

• The key takeaway is that in open source projects, compatibility and honesty are prioritized over political correctness and unearned respect.