Re: Suggestion: no more proposals, only suggestions

[Andrew Starks <andrew.starks@...>]

On Mon, Sep 28, 2015 at 2:20 AM, Dirk Laurie <dirk.laurie@gmail.com> wrote:
> A proposal has the following properties:
>
> 1. The proposer wants it incorporated in a future Lua and is
> not interested in ways to achieve the same effect by exploiting
> current features.
> 2. The proposer continues arguing, rebutting all criticism, even
> when almost nobody seems to like the proposal.
>
> A suggestion has the following properties:
>
> 1. Well thought out, so that everything that needs to be said
> is said and everything irrelevant is omitted.
> 2. The poster offers it as something to be discussed and does
> not enter the discussion again unless requested to.
>

Perhaps instead of *proposal*, an *observation*? An observation is:

A short narrative that describes a reality. In particular, a reality
that could be improved upon by some form of change.

My observations are that...

This is unenforceable. Therefore, instead of correcting or scolding
(even long-time people), I/we might write an observation for someone
who has gone through the trouble of making a proposal, and they can
correct that observation and that will put the proposal on the right
track. (?) Or, suggest they write an observation. Or ignore the
proposal.

Ignoring a proposal is the fastest way to quiet it and all other proposals.

Observations are assertable.

Observations are a good conversational tool for getting the right
people (the people you're trying to persuade) to consider the issue as
a real issue.

[At this point, I keep typing for hours and generate a Great Wall of
Text, so I'll stop here. The "human thing" is something that I think a
great deal about, so this topic will always get me to post...]

-Andrew