[Edu-sig] Politics and Python in Education (meta on list charter)

[Dethe Elza]

On 18-Jul-07, at 4:21 PM, Guido van Rossum wrote:

> I'm just speaking for the majority of list members who are tired of
> your and Kirby's (and it the past Arthur's) rants. I really don't care
> about arguments "proving" that the list charter is what you want it to
> be. Most people want it to be something else. Check the recent
> discussions. Almost nobody has spoken in defense of you or Kirby, many
> responded with an enthusiastic "+1" to my original proposal to ban
> politics.

And while folks are threatening to dive into the archives to find  
justification for their ideological battles, keep an eye out for the  
many, many people who came to the list hoping to find help in using  
Python in their roles as teachers or students, only to get turned off  
by the often ugly tone of the discussions on this list.  I've seen  
many postings of the "I've had enough, unsubscribing" variety over  
the years, and was on the verge of it myself when Guido chipped in  
with the "no more politics" suggestion/rule.

I've tried to mediate between some of the arguments before, only to  
be told to fuck off (in those words) and mind my own business.  So  
I've pretty much gone into lurk mode, because I don't need that kind  
of conflict in my life, thanks anyway.

Even though I agree with most of what Paul F. and Kirby write here,  
and have a strong anti-school bias myself, this has never felt like  
the place for that type of rant.  I don't see it as censorship to be  
asked to keep on topic for the list and not to drive off the very  
people the list is intended to serve.

Back to the archives, could it be that Kirby (and Arthur when he was  
with us) were the engine of edu-sig because others had been driven  
off or into lurk mode?  Not entirely, but I think there was a strong  
element of that.

So, thank you Guido for speaking up.

+1

--Dethe