Project Lead Expectations - New Policies
- Cheridan
- Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2014 6:04 am
- Byond Username: Cheridan
Project Lead Expectations - New Policies
Currently, the method for appointing new headcoders is that a retiring head chooses his or her replacement. There has been no restriction on this, meaning that tomorrow I could retire and appoint Tonto, or Twobeard, or Hitler's ghost.
Moving forward, appointments must be approved by simple majority of the maintainership.
Secondly, headcoders and maintainers should meet at least a minimum level of activity. I believe there is a need for a concrete measurement of activity, so that an otherwise inactive head cannot hide behind statements of "But I'm on irc/forums/twitter all the time!"
Right now, this level has been set at a bare minimum of 5 contributions per month, as tracked by the user's Github page.
If you have any comments or suggested changes, feel free to reply -- these rules, especially in regards to voting and contribution minimums are still subject to change.
Moving forward, appointments must be approved by simple majority of the maintainership.
Secondly, headcoders and maintainers should meet at least a minimum level of activity. I believe there is a need for a concrete measurement of activity, so that an otherwise inactive head cannot hide behind statements of "But I'm on irc/forums/twitter all the time!"
Right now, this level has been set at a bare minimum of 5 contributions per month, as tracked by the user's Github page.
If you have any comments or suggested changes, feel free to reply -- these rules, especially in regards to voting and contribution minimums are still subject to change.
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- Joined: Sat Apr 19, 2014 11:23 am
- Byond Username: Miauw62
Re: Project Lead Expectations - New Policies
>implying hg isn't hitler's ghost
<wb> For one, the spaghetti is killing me. It's everywhere in food code, and makes it harder to clean those up.
<Tobba> I stared into BYOND and it farted
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- Joined: Wed Sep 17, 2014 6:07 pm
- Byond Username: Dezzmont
Re: Project Lead Expectations - New Policies
Gunna latefag here. Contributions of actual code are a poor metric of activity as it would be easy to abuse.
The historic problem with headcoders is that they just afk in coderbus, never actually show leadership, and just contribute code like a coder.
A better metric would be somehow tracking if they are giving the project enough direction and leadership, as that is what they are ultimately for and is what separates them from just a regular coder.
The historic problem with headcoders is that they just afk in coderbus, never actually show leadership, and just contribute code like a coder.
A better metric would be somehow tracking if they are giving the project enough direction and leadership, as that is what they are ultimately for and is what separates them from just a regular coder.
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- Joined: Wed Apr 30, 2014 3:16 am
- Byond Username: WJohnston
Re: Project Lead Expectations - New Policies
I'd like to chime in personally that so far during my entire stay here I have never at any point seen headcoders actually lead the game in any direction or do anything at all. The absolute most I've ever seen done is calling for a feature freeze and that really is it.
Apparently I was an director or something.
- Cheridan
- Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2014 6:04 am
- Byond Username: Cheridan
Re: Project Lead Expectations - New Policies
There no yardstick to measure leadership. As long as a head is active enough to detect problems and engage them proactively that is enough. The historic problem with headcoders is not that they 'just contribute code', it was that they didn't do anything at all ever. If you have contributions on the github tracker, it means you are at least giving something to the project. Again, the problem we're trying to address here is heads who hide behind statements of "But I'm on irc all the time (because I have my client set to startup with windows and autojoin)!"
As far as leading the game's direction, I do not see that as my responsibility. This is an open-source volunteer project, and I think contributors should be free to explore whatever possibilities they want within reason. I'm a representative, not a dictator. Still, I'm very often asked for my opinion on design decisions and for assistance with coding, which I'm always happy to provide. I do push for things, and sometimes something will come out of it. The most recent example is splitting the map's z-levels into separate map files, to reduce map edit conflicts and necessary maintenance.
I'm also always monitoring the activity of code contributors to see who would make good maintainers. Currently we have an issue of having too many PRs for our maintainership to handle, so they're tending to stay open longer than they should and not getting reviewed well enough to catch bugs. It's difficult to address, because it's not a problem I can just throw people at. They have to have experience with code standards, git wizardry, and work well in a team or else it just makes more problems to deal with.
To be told that you've never seen me "do anything at all" is frankly the most insulted I've ever felt in my time here. Thanks.
As far as leading the game's direction, I do not see that as my responsibility. This is an open-source volunteer project, and I think contributors should be free to explore whatever possibilities they want within reason. I'm a representative, not a dictator. Still, I'm very often asked for my opinion on design decisions and for assistance with coding, which I'm always happy to provide. I do push for things, and sometimes something will come out of it. The most recent example is splitting the map's z-levels into separate map files, to reduce map edit conflicts and necessary maintenance.
I'm also always monitoring the activity of code contributors to see who would make good maintainers. Currently we have an issue of having too many PRs for our maintainership to handle, so they're tending to stay open longer than they should and not getting reviewed well enough to catch bugs. It's difficult to address, because it's not a problem I can just throw people at. They have to have experience with code standards, git wizardry, and work well in a team or else it just makes more problems to deal with.
To be told that you've never seen me "do anything at all" is frankly the most insulted I've ever felt in my time here. Thanks.
- Hornygranny
- Horny Police
- Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2014 4:54 pm
- Byond Username: Hornygranny
Re: Project Lead Expectations - New Policies
In support of Cheridan I'd like to point out that group discussions often do result in things been changed at our request, in a way that isn't quantified anywhere. Paprika did us all a favor and redid the map with full windows more or less at my behest, for example. Tkdrg put in a lot of great work on turfs, even an attempt at making walls objects at my suggestion. All said and done, however, we don't have the luxury of a team required to do 40 hours a week each on whatever we mandate. I'd like to think I've done a lot to make the game feel more realistic and dangerous, and I think that lead has been followed some by our contributors. Cheridan is right that maintaining the repo itself is a lot of work, especially given that we also want to contribute ourselves.
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- Joined: Wed Sep 17, 2014 6:07 pm
- Byond Username: Dezzmont
Re: Project Lead Expectations - New Policies
I just feel that your metric makes no real sense, both from the perspective of viewing the head coders as leaders or as maintainers of code quality. It is hardly a step up from the old requirement of "have a pulse" and is an empty gesture.
And your right, there is no yardstick for leadership. It is hard to measure in a way that allows a leader to make unpopular decisions. But it is still worth noting that "make 5 changes to the code" is really as meaningless as "I am on all the time." You should try to figure out a better metric or, worst case scenario, figure out a way for people to agree that the head coder is not active enough as a head coder somehow, because while some previous headcoders went dark both in code and leadership, others just borderline abandoned their position while still contributing code.
And your right, there is no yardstick for leadership. It is hard to measure in a way that allows a leader to make unpopular decisions. But it is still worth noting that "make 5 changes to the code" is really as meaningless as "I am on all the time." You should try to figure out a better metric or, worst case scenario, figure out a way for people to agree that the head coder is not active enough as a head coder somehow, because while some previous headcoders went dark both in code and leadership, others just borderline abandoned their position while still contributing code.
Feature freezes are arguably the most important thing a headcoder can do, because it is the only thing that has historically been able to force the project back onto the rails. It is their ultimate weapon as maintainers and quality control, which is arguably their most important job.WJohnston wrote:I'd like to chime in personally that so far during my entire stay here I have never at any point seen headcoders actually lead the game in any direction or do anything at all. The absolute most I've ever seen done is calling for a feature freeze and that really is it.
- Not-Dorsidarf
- Joined: Fri Apr 18, 2014 4:14 pm
- Byond Username: Dorsidwarf
- Location: We're all going on an, admin holiday
Re: Project Lead Expectations - New Policies
I also agree that feature freezes are the only way to keep us on track.
On the other hand, cracking down on people using the issue report section (which coders use to measure the success of feature freezes) as a soapbox/feature request center/balance opinion lobby is also pretty important
On the other hand, cracking down on people using the issue report section (which coders use to measure the success of feature freezes) as a soapbox/feature request center/balance opinion lobby is also pretty important
kieth4 wrote: infrequently shitting yourself is fine imo
There is a lot of very bizarre nonsense being talked on this forum. I shall now remain silent and logoff until my points are vindicated.
Player who complainted over being killed for looting cap office wrote: ↑Sun Jul 30, 2023 1:33 am Hey there, I'm Virescent, the super evil person who made the stupid appeal and didn't think it through enough. Just came here to say: screech, retards. Screech and writhe like the worms you are. Your pathetic little cries will keep echoing around for a while before quietting down. There is one great outcome from this: I rised up the blood pressure of some of you shitheads and lowered your lifespan. I'm honestly tempted to do this more often just to see you screech and writhe more, but that wouldn't be cool of me. So come on haters, show me some more of your high blood pressure please.
- Cheridan
- Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2014 6:04 am
- Byond Username: Cheridan
Re: Project Lead Expectations - New Policies
In accordance to the policies outlined in the OP, Hornygranny has been removed from his position of headcoder due to inactivity.
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- Joined: Thu Apr 24, 2014 1:47 pm
- Byond Username: Callanrockslol
Re: Project Lead Expectations - New Policies
HG has died of old age, this is truly the end of an era.
The most excessive signature on /tg/station13.
Still not even at the limit after 8 fucking years.
The evil holoparasite user I can't believe its not DIO and his holoparasite I can't believe its not Skub have been defeated by the Spacedust Crusaders, but what has been taken from the station can never be returned.
OOC: TheGel: Literally a guy in a suit with a shuttle full of xenos. That's a doozy
Still not even at the limit after 8 fucking years.
Spoiler:
OOC: TheGel: Literally a guy in a suit with a shuttle full of xenos. That's a doozy
- DemonFiren
- Joined: Sat Dec 13, 2014 9:15 pm
- Byond Username: DemonFiren
Re: Project Lead Expectations - New Policies
Does this mean HG gets deadminned, too? Does this mean we'll have ERP back?
- ThanatosRa
- Rarely plays
- Joined: Fri Apr 18, 2014 4:07 pm
- Byond Username: ThanatosRa
- Location: Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Re: Project Lead Expectations - New Policies
YOU'RE HITLER'S GHOST!Miauw wrote:>implying hg isn't hitler's ghost
Or at least Himmler's Ghost. Like a discount Hitler.
my forum gimmick is that no one knows who i am
gender is irrelevant NO UR IRRELEVANT
u a bish
y u heff 2 b med
gender is irrelevant NO UR IRRELEVANT
u a bish
y u heff 2 b med
- Cheridan
- Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2014 6:04 am
- Byond Username: Cheridan
Re: Project Lead Expectations - New Policies
This does not have any impact upon his adminship. Admins do not have a written inactivity policy.
ERP never ever.
ERP never ever.
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- Joined: Thu Apr 24, 2014 1:47 pm
- Byond Username: Callanrockslol
Re: Project Lead Expectations - New Policies
Its not written but inactive admins get removed from time to time.Cheridan wrote:This does not have any impact upon his adminship. Admins do not have a written inactivity policy.
ERP never ever.
The most excessive signature on /tg/station13.
Still not even at the limit after 8 fucking years.
The evil holoparasite user I can't believe its not DIO and his holoparasite I can't believe its not Skub have been defeated by the Spacedust Crusaders, but what has been taken from the station can never be returned.
OOC: TheGel: Literally a guy in a suit with a shuttle full of xenos. That's a doozy
Still not even at the limit after 8 fucking years.
Spoiler:
OOC: TheGel: Literally a guy in a suit with a shuttle full of xenos. That's a doozy
- Steelpoint
- Github User
- Joined: Thu Apr 17, 2014 6:37 pm
- Byond Username: Steelpoint
- Github Username: Steelpoint
- Location: The Armoury
Re: Project Lead Expectations - New Policies
It tends to happen in waves where inactive admins just get removed all at once. Its somewhat uncommon but when it does rarely happen it can be interesting to see such a large amount of people being tossed out.
E: The last great inactive admin purge happened over a month ago actually.
E: The last great inactive admin purge happened over a month ago actually.
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