Contributor Code of Conduct

Introduction

• This document should serve as a framework for the standards that we hold contributors and those on the Rhino Linux team. This document is intended to be continually updated and edited as Rhino Linux grows as an organisation.

• Last Edited: June 29th 2024.

At Rhino Linux, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and welcoming community which seeks to thrive on mutual respect and honesty. We wholeheartedly believe that every member of our community should be treated with dignity and respect, regardless of race, sexuality, gender identity, disability or any other protected characteristic. To uphold these values, we expect all contributors to adhere to the following code of conduct:

Expected behaviours

Expected behaviours are to be followed by all contributors to the Rhino Linux project in all environments. Contributors represent the project and should follow the expected behaviours in all official channels including (but not limited to): The Rhino Linux Discord server and GitHub.

Examples of behaviour that contribute to fostering a positive environment includes:

• Showing respect towards different viewpoints and experiences

• Accepting constructive criticism

• Focusing on what is best for the community

• Expressing empathy towards other community members

• Treating all contributors with empathy, kindness and fairness

• Embracing diversity and inclusivity within the organisation

Unacceptable behaviours

Examples of any unacceptable behaviour by contributors includes:

• The use of sexualised language or imagery.

• Insulting or derogatory comments, including any personal or political attacks.

• Discrimination, harassment or exclusion based on any protected characteristic.

• Public or private harassment.

• Publishing others' private information, such as physical address, without explicit permission.

• Any other conduct which could reasonably be considered inappropriate in a professional setting.

Honesty and Transparency

Honesty and transparency are paramount to the survival of any project. Please ensure that you adhere to these guidelines when contributing to Rhino Linux:

• Openly and honestly communicate with fellow contributors.

• If required, disclose to the team any conflicts of interest or biases that could potentially affect your contributions.

• Respect the intellectual property rights of other projects, and ensure that you provide proper credit to others for their work, when required.

Seek help, offer support

We recognise the fact that Rhino Linux maintenance is largely built on the basis of volunteer work. As such some maintainers may be busier at times than others, or there will be periods of their lives where they may not be able to contribute as much.

• Do not hesitate to ask for help when needed, whether it is technical assistance, guidance, clarification or to reduce your workload.

• Offer your support and assistance to other contributors whenever, and wherever possible. Please ensure that this is done in a constructive and respectful manner.

• Foster a culture of collaboration and mentorship by sharing knowledge and resources with others.

Ensuring maintainability

It is important to ensure that our code is up to standard. This means that proper programming conventions should be followed at all times. Rhino Linux is used by people globally, and as such needs to be maintained by multiple people. By contributing your code to Rhino Linux you agree to adhere to these guidelines:

• All code submitted to the Rhino Linux project must be properly commented and documented.

• Developer documentation for all repositories must be created with instructions on maintenance and development.

• Any and all AI-generated code submitted to the Rhino Linux project must be disclosed, and precautions must be in place to ensure that the code generated has the same quality and maintainability as any piece of code submitted by a maintainer.

• As a team we will conduct regular code reviews, as well as refactorings, to address technical debt, improve code quality and ensure long-term maintainability. These code reviews will be conducted at the team's discretion.

Accountability

We recognise that contributors will have differing levels of capacity and availability. We ask that contributors inform other contributors within working groups of their capacity. This will allow for everyone to see who is able to take on certain tasks. If you are struggling, ask for help. We recognise things happen, and we would rather you ask for help, rather than going dark and abandoning what was being worked on for the project. As we have outlined in this document, community and collaboration is what makes Rhino Linux roll.

Breaking any of our expected behaviours has the potential to result in removal from the Rhino Linux team or the ability to contribute to the project.

By participating in the Rhino Linux community, you agree to abide by this code of conduct and contribute to creating a positive and inclusive environment for all members. Together, let's uphold the values of honesty, fairness, respect, and mutual support that define our community.