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One real issue here is Slack being used for a RFC rather than something like a github issue. Slack is a great medium for realtime chatting but someone jumping

One real issue here is Slack being used for a RFC rather than something like a github issue. Slack is a great medium for realtime chatting but someone jumping into a conversation without context is exactly where it falls down. "Ubuntu is doomed" is exactly the sort of comment someone skimming to catch up will fixate on and jump to a conclusion - even with a code of conduct... You need a place for conversations to exist that promotes asynchronous communication. A github issue is a nice starting point since someone can create a summary at the top. The summary can be continuously updated. And an intentionally slower/more thought out discussion can follow. "RFC: Company$ moving away from ubuntu" is exactly the sort of productive GH issue I've seen at past companies. Of course GH issues regularly devolve - lots of examples dropped into HN over the years where people get angry/inappropriate at some poor open source maintainer, but it is still an improvement over slack.

busterarm 5y ago
Slack is being used as a substitute for all kinds of communication patterns where it shouldn't be and people tend to be assholes about it. For example, mandatory-participation announcement channels that don't actually require any action on the part of the receiver. They're used for every corner of the company to self-congratulate and should be emails instead of notifications. For anyone who can make these decisions in their own comapnies, if a channel's messages: - do not require immediate attention, and - do not require an action, for the love of god, do not make it a mandatory-participation channel.
rachelbythebay 5y ago
The decision had already been made, and not by any of the people in that chat. We were shooting the shit about the impending change and what it meant in terms of our stuff running on it going forward. You ever, you know, just talk with your coworkers? And not just sling bugs at them?

busterarm 5y ago

Slack is being used as a substitute for all kinds of communication patterns where it shouldn't be and people tend to be assholes about it. For example, mandatory-participation announcement channels that don't actually require any action on the part of the receiver. They're used for every corner of the company to self-congratulate and should be emails instead of notifications. For anyone who can make these decisions in their own comapnies, if a channel's messages: - do not require immediate attention, and - do not require an action, for the love of god, do not make it a mandatory-participation channel.

rachelbythebay 5y ago

The decision had already been made, and not by any of the people in that chat. We were shooting the shit about the impending change and what it meant in terms of our stuff running on it going forward. You ever, you know, just talk with your coworkers? And not just sling bugs at them?