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<p><font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif">The Moderation Team[1]
was distressed by the tone and content of several messages
posted to the OSMF-talk list during the month of October. After
admonishing privately two long-standing OSMF members for
violating the Etiquette Guidelines[2], the Moderation Team was
surprised to see a dispute erupt that quickly spun out of
control and degenerated into bickering and exchanges of ad
hominem attacks. Complaints were registered with us and
additionally, several people almost simultaneously unsubscribed
from osmf-talk.<br>
<br>
The Moderation Team followed up with the unsubscribers and
confirmed their motives. Not all left the list and quit the OSM
Foundation because of the tone of the communications that
disgusted them, but at least four did. Among their comments were<br>
<br>
"...I unsubscribed because I find the tone of discussions to be
systematically unpleasant and aggressive."<br>
<br>
"...We need transparency yes, but at the same time we don't need
to attack each other. I was personally getting annoyed with the
discussion tones. We need solutions not pin pointing each other.
We need team work not manipulators or people looking to get a
spotlight each time."<br>
<br>
"...I just find that every time there is a board meeting
announced (I believe that is the trigger) there is a flurry of
posts that typically get into the weeds all arguing about this
and that. To me it is just too tiresome. It seems mostly anti
collaborative -- not appearing to strive together to create a
better world, but rather complaining about actions or inactions
of various "leaders" of the organization."<br>
<br>
"...I was maybe a bit irritated with the internal politics."<br>
<br>
The Etiquette Guidelines were established to promote broader
participation in the work of the OSM project. Failure to adhere
to the Guidelines drives people away, which harms the project.
It's really that simple. The Moderation Team calls on all OSMF
members to observe the Guidelines, and if you have any doubts
about whether something you are posting in the heat of an
emotional response might violate them, we suggest that you stop,
put it aside for an hour, and come back after taking time to
contemplate whether your post will help or hurt the project.<br>
<br>
For the Moderation Team,<br>
Allan Mustard</font></p>
<p><font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif">[1]
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://osmfoundation.org/wiki/Moderation_team_for_talk_and_osmf-talk_mailing_lists">https://osmfoundation.org/wiki/Moderation_team_for_talk_and_osmf-talk_mailing_lists</a><br>
[2]
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Etiquette/Etiquette_Guidelines">https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Etiquette/Etiquette_Guidelines</a><br>
<br>
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