Currently the FIG-Members vote whether the Aura-Project is required to replace its representative. Why is that?

During the last few weeks (months?) the mailinglist of the Framework Interoperability Group (PHP-FIG) was home to the drama-lama. A lot of push and shove around one single person and how to react appropriately.

I try to be as objective as possible: Apparently some people from the PHP-Community felt harrassed by the way one person discussed with them. And that one person seemed to “look for trouble” by pushing discussions and raising issues in an aggressive manner. I myself know of at least one person that didn’t get involved with the FIG due to this person. And there are others that left the FIG due to or felt personaly attacked by that person.

So the representatives of the FIG where asked to do something about one person creating a toxic atmosphere. Due to there not being a precedence for such a behaviour and there being no clear regulations for such a case things went messy. Heated debates and unlucky words from both sides where the result of the question how to handle people that create a toxic environment, cause people to leave the FIG and damage the reputation of the FIG.

Long story short: There is no way the FIG can do something against such a person without a regulation that every new participant accepts. Call it CoC or nettiquette or bylaws or whatever you like. There’s common sense and general niceness but some people just lack both. And as such a regulation isn’t (currently) accepted by people on the FIG-mailinglist, there’s no way of removing someone from the list.

But what can be done is that said person can not speak as a member of the FIG anymore. And that’s what the vote is about. Revoke the privilege of being heard as an authority of the FIG and making it absolutely clear that the FIG does not condone such behaviour that drives others away and makes people feel attacked.

The vote is not about the expertise or about liking or not liking. It’s not about questioning the FIG, it’s bylaws, regulations or PSRs.

This vote is about the tone and way of interacting with one another. And it is about whether or not the members of the FIG accept agressive and harassing interaction with one another – and by accepting it actually promoting it.

But it can not be the last step. No one should think that the case is closed after this vote regardles it’s outcome. In my eyes the FIG needs a regulation that allows banning of people that don’t adhere to them from participation altogether (throughout the ir controlled media). But that’s a next step!

For me personally the result of this vote will decide about the future of the FIG in the PHP-Community