Committee Reports
We would like to thank the Linux kernel community members who have supported
the adoption of the Code of Conduct and who continue to uphold the professional
standards of our community. If you have any questions about these reports,
please write to <conduct@kernel.org>.
March 2025
Archival copy: https://lore.kernel.org/all/2025043021-reprogram-gloss-acb5@gregkh/
Updates to the Code of Conduct documents:
- The Code of Conduct documentation has been updated to clearly
outline the enforcement when Unacceptable Behavior Code
of Conduct Violations take place, and outline the Technical
Advisory Board's role in approving remedial actions recommended
by the Code of Conduct Committee.
- Reference:
- https://docs.kernel.org/process/code-of-conduct-interpretation.html#code-of-conduct-interpretation
In the period of April 1, 2024 through March 31, 2025, the Code of
Conduct Committee received the following reports:
Reports received: 17
Development process related reports:
- Education and coaching on maintainers' right to accept or reject
patches. Clarifying the expectations that developers can't demand
their patches to be reviewed and/or accepted by the community.
These reports were about a developer demanding their patch to be
accepted even after repeated attempts by maintainers advising the
developers to understand the development process.
Code of Conduct scope and enforcement related reports:
- Education and coaching on the role and scope of the Code of Conduct.
Several reports from people outside the kernel community reporting
past incidents before the Code of Conduct was adopted. Reports
resolved clarifying the scope and validity of reports about past
incidents before adopting the Code of Conduct.
Insensitive comments reports:
- Education and coaching on the role and scope of the Code of Conduct.
Reports about Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) related actions
and offhand comments in technical discussions that do not rise to the
level of violations.
Unacceptable behavior or comments in email: 6
We would like to thank the Linux kernel community members who have
supported the adoption of the Code of Conduct and who continue to
uphold the professional standards of our community. If you have
questions about this report, please write to <conduct@kernel.org>.
March 2024
Archival copy: https://lore.kernel.org/r/355aee5f-13ce-4e20-9ce8-e5bcddd14bc2@linuxfoundation.org
In the period of October 1, 2023 through March 31, 2024, the Code of
Conduct Committee received the following reports:
- Unprofessional behavior or comments in email: 2
The result of the investigation:
- Education and coaching clarifying the role of Code of Conduct
conduct on conversations that don't go against the CoC.
- Education and coaching the individuals on the impact of making
unprofessional comments which could be misunderstood leading
to negative impressions about the community.
The reports were about the offhand comments made while rejecting
the code which are not violations of the Code of Conduct
Unacceptable behavior or comments on a private invitee only chat
channel: 1
- Education and coaching clarifying the role of Code of Conduct
conduct on conversations that occur on a private chat channel.
We would like to thank the Linux kernel community members who have
supported the adoption of the Code of Conduct and who continue to
uphold the professional standards of our community. If you have
questions about this report, please write to <conduct@kernel.org>.
September 2023
Archival copy: https://lore.kernel.org/r/3351be6b-854e-479d-832c-83cb8829c010@linuxfoundation.org
In the period of April 1, 2023 through September 30, 2023, the Code of
Conduct Committee received the following reports:
- Unacceptable behavior or comments in email: 4
The result of the investigation:
- Education and coaching clarifying the Code of Conduct conduct related
to normal review and patch acceptance process: 3
- Clarification on the Code of Conduct conduct related to maintainer
rights and responsibility to reject code: 1
The reports were about the discussion during the patch review and
decisions made in rejecting code and these actions are not viewed as
violations of the Code of Conduct.
Please see the excerpt from the Responsibilities section in the Linux
Kernel Contributor Covenant Code of Conduct Interpretation document:
setting expertise expectations, making decisions and rejecting unsuitable
contributions are not viewed as a violation of the Code of Conduct.
March 2023
Archival copy: https://lore.kernel.org/r/557ef895-ad2d-eff9-7cb8-70dbcf41adea@linuxfoundation.org
In the period of October 1, 2022 through March 31, 2023, the Code of
Conduct Committee received the following reports:
- Unacceptable behavior or comments in email: 6
The result of the investigation:
- Education and coaching clarifying the Code of Conduct conduct related
to normal review and patch acceptance process: 1
- Clarification on the Code of Conduct conduct related to maintainer
rights and responsibility to reject code: 5
The reports were about the decisions made in rejecting code and these
actions are not viewed as violations of the Code of Conduct.
Please see the excerpt from the Responsibilities section in the Linux
Kernel Contributor Covenant Code of Conduct Interpretation document:
setting expertise expectations, making decisions and rejecting unsuitable
contributions are not viewed as a violation of the Code of Conduct.
September 2022
Archival copy: https://lore.kernel.org/r/57a492fb-928b-9e0a-5f0e-dc95ef599309@linuxfoundation.org
In the period of April 1, 2022 through September 30, 2022, the Code of
Conduct Committee received the following reports:
- Unacceptable behavior or comments in email: 1
The result of the investigation:
- Resolved with a public apology from the violator with a commitment
from them to abide by the Code of Conduct in the future.
March 2022
Archival copy: https://lore.kernel.org/r/4401af50-083d-0239-6b7f-3454c8d69fec@linuxfoundation.org
In the period of October 1, 2021 through March 31, 2022, the Code of
Conduct Committee received the following reports:
- Unacceptable behavior or comments in email: 2
The result of the investigation:
- Education and coaching clarifying the Code of Conduct conduct
related to normal review process: 2
April 2021
Archival copy: https://lore.kernel.org/r/448b06e4-41fc-26df-a862-c3ba2f70b6b3@linuxfoundation.org
In the period of November 1, 2020 through April 30, 2021 the Code of
Conduct Committee received the following reports:
- Unacceptable behavior or comments in email (3rd party): 4
The result of the investigation:
- Education and coaching: 1
- Public response to call attention to the behavior and request
correction with consequence of ban if behavior persists: 1
- Public response to attention to the behavior and request correction: 1
- Clarification on the Code of Conduct conduct related to maintainer
rights and responsibility to reject code: 1
October 2020
Archival copy: https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/20201105083002.GA3429143@kroah.com/
In the period of January 1, 2020 through October 31, 2020 the Committee
received the following reports:
- Unacceptable behavior or comments in email: 1
- Unacceptable comments in github repo by non-community members: 1
- Unacceptable comments toward a company: 1
The result of the investigation:
- Education and coaching: 1
- Locking of github repo for any comments: 1
- Clarification that the Code of Conduct covers conduct related to individual developers only: 1
September 2018 to July 2019
Archival copy: https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/20190810120700.GA7360@kroah.com/
In the period of September 15, 2018 through July 31, 2019, the Committee
received the following reports:
- Inappropriate language in the kernel source: 1
- Insulting behavior in email: 3
The result of the investigations:
- Education and coaching: 4
Accedi