The recent Rails and Sydney LUG controversies have made one thing clear: some people have no sense of professionalism, politeness or concern for others. Arguments about driving women away from the computing community are a diversion; references to pornography and scat humour are simply off-topic and inappropriate in a technical presentation. Criticism of these talks has been met with adolescent rebuttals about the stifling of individuality. Nobody’s individuality is being unfairly supressed; like toilet training, it is simply necessary for the needs of others to come before your own if you want to function in society.
People who do not understand this are, rightly, looked upon with contempt by the overwhelming majority of people who do. I am offended by neither the word ‘fuck’, nor by graphic pornography. Regardless, I would be dismayed to see either referenced in a technical presentation, simply because it is not the appropriate format. Few are suggesting that computing talks should be suit-and-tie events; a liberal dress code is one thing. Displaying an unwillingness to move on from things that for others lost their novelty around the conclusion of puberty is a disgrace to the whole community.
