Correspondents should be warned that the phrase "safe spaces" needs a trigger warning.
I am not joking here.�� People who are genuinely sensitive to the perceptions and
concerns of others really should avoid that concept because there are many people in
whom it arouses strong negative feelings.�� Who indeed feel belittled and excluded by
it.�� "Point of personal privilege..."
I want this mailing list to serve the ends of advancing the development of Pharo,
supporting the people who use Pharo in learning how to use it effectively,
and more generally serving humanity by advancing the art of programming.
The announcement of Grafoscopio and the help given when people have problems with
it?�� Perfect example, hugely respect-worthy.�� There are plenty of others.
Is there, in fact, enough of a problem here for us to NEED a special code, over and
above say the ACM or BCS or whatever codes of ethics?�� At the department I used to
be in, from time to time someone would raise an issue at a staff meeting, and we'd
all start thinking about how to craft a rule to cover us.�� But the wisest of us
would usually say "Do we actually need a rule for this?�� Is this happening a lot,
or is it something rare that we can deal with informally?"�� Whenever he asked this,
he was right.�� It *was* something rare that could be dealt with human to human.
I was talking to a graduate student one day.�� He had a lot of commercial experience.
I had been reading up about BPML and commented to him "it's as if businesses wanted
to program people like machines".�� He responded, "yes they do."�� He was able to
give me more examples than I really wanted from his own experience.�� I see the
so-called "Covenant" that we are discussing as another example of this urge to
micro-control other people.�� It has me nervously looking for the exit.