Additions to BSSw content policies to consider

[markcmiller86]

In discussions in meeting on 12Dec19 several policy issues came up. Here we identify their main headings and key points raised. Others are encouraged either to edit this comment or to add additional comments to this issue with the aim of refining text to be added to our policies.

Thoughts on Technology Specificity in BSSw created/hosted content

• This came up during discussion of Possible curated link: Documentation, testing, coverage, and publishing of Julia packages #243
• We should try to avoid appearing to favor or serve as an endorsement platform for any particular technology
• Articles BSSw staff create and host should, to a reasonable extent, try to consider multiple (e.g. more than just a single) technology.
• Because we do not host the actual content but instead only links to content created by others, in Created Content articles, we can be more technology-specific without issue
• Original articles expressing a given user's or team's experience with a given technology (which would tend to be authored by those users or teams) are also acceptable to be more technology-specific than we might ordinarily want.

Thoughts on Mix of Abstract and Nuts-n-Bolts Software Productivity Content

• This came up as part of Lack of Evidence In Software Engineering #420
• I think it might make sense to have some rough goal regarding the mix of abstract and nuts-n-bolts software productivity content we host. I would like to see BSSw become a place many software practitioners come to get useful information instead of software theorists. Don't get me wrong. I like the latter but all too often the information from such sources is much harder to digest into actual practice that can help code teams improve their productivity.
• I propose a mix of 70/30 (nuts-n-bolts/abstract)

Thoughts on Links to Whole Content Providers vs. Individual Pieces of Content

• This came up as part of Content suggestion: Konrad Hinsen blog #272
• Links to whole content providers expose BSSw to appearing to promote anything that appears at that provider
• Links to specific content address the above issue but then can wind up causing BSSw to maintain many links

[jarrah42]

In relation to #272, specifically, curated content articles should reference specific blog articles, not the blog itself. We should provide a single curated content article that lists valuable blogs that people may be interested in.