We cannot please everybody indeed but the most important thing to keep in mind is to please the Heavenly powerful. If the conscience is clear as the clear sky, then by all means don't worry about other people's offending remarks. Remember, different people have differing views.
Susan Potter
· 8 months ago
I think the problem with the Rails "community" is that it quickly became in an ol' boys network (not necessarily just men, just using the expression to mean you have to be in the circle or club to get anywhere in that sphere). A community now driven by dogma and strong personalities no longer by pragmatism or substance.
This has been a problem for a couple of years already. Matt Aimonetti's pr0n photos in his presentation just goes to demonstrate the wider issue. He was only thinking about his buddies and what would make them laugh rather than thinking of a wider more inclusive audience. I contend the reason is because the Rails community has been hard-wired as a "club" for quite some time now.
As a woman I personally did NOT take offense to the photos I saw in the presentation slides that I saw online (although I wasn't sure if it had been sanitized or not?), so the pr0n at a presentation to me is simply endemic of the "club" mentality of Rails as a whole. From where I am standing this is a much bigger issue for the Rails world than just a demonstration of sexism at one presentation by one presenter.
I would like to point out that I consider the Rails community quite separate from the Ruby community and do not think this of the Ruby community.
Perhaps the Rails world can think about the "club" mentality of what was demonstrated here NOT just the "pornography", because I feel like that is just one manifestation of the larger problem.
"Club" mentality might be warranted if Rails rallied around merit, rather than who can swear the most in one sentence or shout the loudest. Looking at 90% of the most popular Rails plugins you should see how appalling the quality of code is. Where is the merit in this club?
aimee
· 7 months ago
Wow, Susan, i am honoured to have you comment on my blog, and i agree whole-heartedly with what you have to say.
I hadn't really been able to put my finger on what exactly is wrong here, but your explanation of the "club" mentality explains it so well. If we're not careful, we are headed towards a fragmented us-versus-them, in-or-out community. I do not want that. Let's not lose focus of why we are a community in the first place - it's all about the code!
Susan Potter
· 8 months ago
I wanted to make one thing clear. The "club" mentality when not based on merit has detrimental effects for all those that can't be bothered to brown nose their way into the exclusive club membership. Not at all specific to gender or sex!
aimee
· 7 months ago
Yes, correct. I didn't really think that this was much of a gender issue at all. However, it has been refreshing to hear so many female programmers speaking up as a result of this.
Web Design Lexington
· 1 month ago
I find this quite intriguing. Rants for some untoward feelings earned after a discussion should be welcomed with a "smile".
All Comments
This has been a problem for a couple of years already. Matt Aimonetti's pr0n photos in his presentation just goes to demonstrate the wider issue. He was only thinking about his buddies and what would make them laugh rather than thinking of a wider more inclusive audience. I contend the reason is because the Rails community has been hard-wired as a "club" for quite some time now.
As a woman I personally did NOT take offense to the photos I saw in the presentation slides that I saw online (although I wasn't sure if it had been sanitized or not?), so the pr0n at a presentation to me is simply endemic of the "club" mentality of Rails as a whole. From where I am standing this is a much bigger issue for the Rails world than just a demonstration of sexism at one presentation by one presenter.
I would like to point out that I consider the Rails community quite separate from the Ruby community and do not think this of the Ruby community.
Perhaps the Rails world can think about the "club" mentality of what was demonstrated here NOT just the "pornography", because I feel like that is just one manifestation of the larger problem.
"Club" mentality might be warranted if Rails rallied around merit, rather than who can swear the most in one sentence or shout the loudest. Looking at 90% of the most popular Rails plugins you should see how appalling the quality of code is. Where is the merit in this club?
I hadn't really been able to put my finger on what exactly is wrong here, but your explanation of the "club" mentality explains it so well. If we're not careful, we are headed towards a fragmented us-versus-them, in-or-out community. I do not want that. Let's not lose focus of why we are a community in the first place - it's all about the code!