[Python-Dev] How do we tell if we're helping or hindering the core development process? (was Re: How far to go with user-friendliness)

[Paul Moore]

On 21 July 2015 at 11:03, Ben Finney <ben+python at benfinney.id.au> wrote:
> * If challenged to do so, could one (the contributor) present a
>   compelling justification for the change?
>
>   This is what I claim Paul Moore's doubt (fear?) is indicative of. I
>   maintain that this doubt is quite healthy: it helps the contributor to
>   pause, reflect, seek assistance in making decisions, and thereby also
>   tends to exclude poorly-justified changes which would otherwise be
>   committed.

That is *not* what I was trying to express. My fear is that I will be
subjected to the sort of unreasonable level of debate and frankly
criticism that came up in this thread, and I'm not sure if I have the
energy to deal with it. I wouldn't ever commit something unless *in my
judgement* it was OK to go in. Whether my judgement is sufficient is
the whole point here.

And to be honest, there's an implication in your comment that you
think there is a possibility that any of the core devs might commit
something when they had a level of doubt[1] about whether it was right
to do so. I think that implication is unwarranted, and constitutes
exactly the sort of subtle criticism that escalates things like this.
I'm sure that's not what you intended, and I *know* I've reached a
point with this thread where I'm over-sensitive to such implications,
but it's a good illustration of how even a well-meaning comment can be
perceived very differently than it was intended by the recipient.

For something which is a hobby for me, I'd rather feel more joy in
what I achieve, and less burden of responsibility. Changing code that
affects I-don't-even-want-to-know-how-many people and businesses is
quite enough responsibility without also having to put up with only
hearing from people who disagree with what I do, and never from people
who are grateful...

End of unnecessarily emotional outpouring, we now return you to your
regular scheduled flamewars :-)

Paul

[1] That's doubt, not mistakes. People make mistakes. The big problem
here is python-dev is becoming pretty hostile to people who (are
perceived to) make mistakes. That is, ultimately, all of us.