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While that is certainly excellent good advise it is centered on online code reviews, such as those in a git pull request. Although this advise is excellent, th

While that is certainly excellent good advise it is centered on online code reviews, such as those in a git pull request. Although this advise is excellent, these aren't hard problems to solve. Particularly since if a submitter is out of line a collaborator or moderator can easily shut them down or close the pull request. Case closed (over simplification). Far more challenging are offline code reviews where you have to deal with people face to face and contend with people's emotions. If everybody were mature and confident emotion wouldn't be a serious factor, but this isn't the case in the corporate world. People are frequently guarded, offensive, or deceptive most usually without any awareness of their emotional communication. It takes a special kind of soft skill to get people to open up, be relaxed, and attain greater disclosure. This can be particularly challenging among young people who may be more emotional, face greater technical hurdles, and lack the communication experience to contend with emotional pressure.

kelnos 9y ago
I have the exact opposite opinion and experience. I think these are hard problems to solve. We haven't solved them yet; the need for this sort of article is empirical evidence of that. Toxic review behavior continues to be a problem. I think face-to-face code reviews are much easier, because when you're sitting across from a real human, you pay much more attention to the social aspects of the interaction than when you're hiding behind a screen. You can also adjust your manner, tone, and word choice in real time based on the verbal and non-verbal cues you get from being physically present with the person you're talking to.
- austincheney 9y ago
  I completely disagree. Listening to people is paramount, but the subject of the conversation is the code in review. If you are paying more attention to the communication than the code you have lost focus and are reviewing communication opposed to code. I have been through this when people get hostile or defensive. They make their communication more important than the code. I don't have to deal with any of that online. As a project maintainer if somebody is being hostile I have several ways to deal with them from a command perspective. If I am a contributor and the project maintainer is being hostile then I simply won't contribute to that project. Also, online there is the convenience of time. You can take as long as you need to draft a proper well thought out response. Speed of thought in offline communication can cloud judgement and impose emotional distractions.
  - kelnos 9y ago
    If you believe that how you communicate is irrelevant, then I don't think we're going to have a productive discussion here. Because it does matter, as much as you or anyone (or even I) think it shouldn't.
    - austincheney 9y ago
      I believe I described communication as paramount.

kelnos 9y ago

I have the exact opposite opinion and experience. I think these are hard problems to solve. We haven't solved them yet; the need for this sort of article is empirical evidence of that. Toxic review behavior continues to be a problem. I think face-to-face code reviews are much easier, because when you're sitting across from a real human, you pay much more attention to the social aspects of the interaction than when you're hiding behind a screen. You can also adjust your manner, tone, and word choice in real time based on the verbal and non-verbal cues you get from being physically present with the person you're talking to.

austincheney 9y ago
I completely disagree. Listening to people is paramount, but the subject of the conversation is the code in review. If you are paying more attention to the communication than the code you have lost focus and are reviewing communication opposed to code. I have been through this when people get hostile or defensive. They make their communication more important than the code. I don't have to deal with any of that online. As a project maintainer if somebody is being hostile I have several ways to deal with them from a command perspective. If I am a contributor and the project maintainer is being hostile then I simply won't contribute to that project. Also, online there is the convenience of time. You can take as long as you need to draft a proper well thought out response. Speed of thought in offline communication can cloud judgement and impose emotional distractions.
- kelnos 9y ago
  If you believe that how you communicate is irrelevant, then I don't think we're going to have a productive discussion here. Because it does matter, as much as you or anyone (or even I) think it shouldn't.
  - austincheney 9y ago
    I believe I described communication as paramount.