[csswg-drafts] [Meta] Async straw polls (#9438)

LeaVerou has just created a new issue for https://github.com/w3c/csswg-drafts:

== [Meta] Async straw polls ==
A common way we resolve certain issues where there are several distinct alternatives is by doing a straw poll.

During a telcon, the straw poll is done by assigning each of the options a letter or number, describing it clearly, and having people type their answer into IRC. For example, [here's a recent straw poll on the `contrast-color()` MVP](https://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/www-style/2023Sep/0008.html#:~:text=What%20about%20a-,straw%20poll,-%3F%0A%20%20Rossen%3A%20What%20are).

However, it is unclear how we can do straw polls async. This would not only be useful for resolving on things, but even just as a quick way to see where everybody stands on an issue, which would be incredibly useful especially on bikeshedding issues.

One way is the awkward "For Option 1 use a 👍🏼 react, for Option 2 a ❤️ react" etc, but that's hard to parse, disconnected from the actual options, and there is no way to distinguish WG member votes from votes by people who are passing by.

Since every WG member has permissions to edit everyone else's comments, I propose the following:

One member posts the straw poll, e.g. for #9102 it could look like this:

> ### Straw poll
> Please edit this comment, add your at-username next to the option you support and update the count next to it. If the option is not in the list, please add it.
> 
> 1. Abstain (0): 
> 2. `text-wrap-allow` (0): 
> 3. `text-wrap-allowed` (0): 
> 4. `text-wrap-mode` (0): 
> 5. `white-space-wrap` (1): @LeaVerou

Ideally, the heading could be a link to a wiki entry that explains this process.

I worried a bit about editing conflicts (i.e. someone else edited a comment after you clicked "Edit" and before you submitted) but it appears they are not destructive:

<img width="834" alt="image" src="https://github.com/w3c/csswg-drafts/assets/175836/7b69d827-cfc7-4360-ad1a-155106906e24">

Sure, it would be annoying if everybody is trying to vote at once, but at least it's not destructive.

Please view or discuss this issue at https://github.com/w3c/csswg-drafts/issues/9438 using your GitHub account


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Received on Wednesday, 4 October 2023 15:53:03 UTC