# Discussion and commentary on Libre-RISCV Member Agreement

# The Code of Honour

It's called a Code of "Honour", not a Code of "Conduct", for a reason.

# The Systemic Laws of Organisations.

The Systemic Laws are explained below.

## Everyone belongs

Every contributor and their contributions and achievements are recognised.
This further encourages people to contribute; they feel welcome, and their
efforts valued.

## Everyone is respected and honoured, past and present

When someone leaves a project, particularly under less than ideal circumstances,
it is still vitally important to value and respect both them *and* their
contributions.  

## Role, Seniority and Expertise are all respected.

This can be very challenging, particularly when someone with more expertise
meets someone whose length of service is greater.  

## We accept the responsibility of our position

If we choose a position of responsibility, we must actually acknowledge and
accept the responsibility of that role!  People will be relying on us.

## Everyone is rewarded equitably for their contributions

In a "Libre" context this is often extremely hard to do, as the normal
rules of profit-maximising business (do not provide goods or services
until payment has been received) do not apply: our "product" - the
source code - is made available at zero monetary cost.  So it is down
to us to ensure that part of our time is spent making sure that everyone
*is* actually rewarded, whether through contracts, sponsorship, donations,
crowd-funding and profit-sharing in the same, and so on.

## Everyone is responsible and accountable (for the "good" *and* the "bad")

When we do something well, it is vital that we (alone) own and hold the
credit for that achievement (nobody else takes the credit; we *accept*
the credit).  When we screw up, it is just as equally vital that we take
responsibility for cleaning up our mess, and that nobody else is blamed
*or think they own it*, or tries to take it the task away from us!

In this way, two vitally important things happen.  Firstly: we can rely
on each other, as we trust that the tasks that others chose will be
completed (even if they mess up a few times).  Secondly: in our chosen
opportunity to grow and learn, we know and trust that nobody will take
that away from us, and, further, that our achievements and the credit
will be ours.