Proposed +1 criteria: Code of Conduct

[dankohn]

The project MUST adopt a code of conduct and post it in a standard location. [code_of_conduct]

Rationale: Projects may be able to improve the civility of their community and to set expectations about acceptable conduct by adopting a code of conduct. This can help avoid problems before they occur and make the project a more welcoming place to encourage contributions. Example codes of conduct are the Contributor Covenant Code of Conduct and the Linux kernel Code of Conflict.

[dankohn]

On the downsides of rushing to implement a code of conduct while dealing with an issue: https://lwn.net/SubscriberLink/712308/397522b086c43738/

[david-a-wheeler]

Okay, added to passing+1.

I do worry a little about this one, since a code of conduct can itself be used as a way to hurt people. On the other hand, all of these criteria can be implemented badly, so that's not a problem unique to this.

[david-a-wheeler]

I'm going to close this, since we're adding it to the draft list in doc/others.md.

[kfogel]

Without specifying something concrete about the Code of Conduct and how it will be upheld in practice, I'm not sure this requirement is a good one -- or even means very much in practice. While @david-a-wheeler's point that any of these criteria can be implemented badly is true, that doesn't mean that they are all equally likely to be implemented badly :-).

There is also a subtle kind of kind of cultural reinforcement between the English-language requirement and the Code of Conduct requirement. What's happening in practice is that codes of conduct are reflecting the norms of the (dare I say liberal-arts-college-educated) English-speaking world. Perhaps those are the ideal norms for open source projects globally, or perhaps not. I think it is too early to say. Anyway, considering how untested a lot of the actual practice around Code of Conduct implementation is right now, I am not sure this requirement should be stronger than "SUGGESTED" at any level.

Putting this comment in this issue because that seems (?) like still the right place for it, even though this is added to doc/others.md.