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Posted to general@incubator.apache.org by Jim Jagielski <ji...@jaguNET.com> on 2005/12/23 18:47:26 UTC

Growth Summary

I'd like summarize the discussion so far, with comments
regarding my own PoV...

   Q: Is the Incubator out of control?
   A: No, it's not. The Incubator is actually working out
      quite well, and performing its duties. Yes, occasionally
      some things slip through the cracks, but "out of
      control" hardly describes it. Note that whether or
      not the Incubator is in or out of control is a
      different question that anything regarding growth.

   Q: Ok Mister Smart guy, is the ASF growing too quickly?
   A: I'm sure that some members feel that we may be doing
      so. I feel we are growing quickly, but wouldn't say
      that it is "too" quickly. Certainly from a board
      perspective, we could grow quite a bit (say double
      the current size) with no real impact. And
      Infrastructure is currently making plans on how
      to handle growth and scale issues.

   Q: Is the ASF doing anything to control growth?
   A: There are 2 ways that the ASF grows. One is the addition
      of additional members, PMC members and committers to the
      community. I don't think that people, right now, are
      too concerned about this type of growth, except maybe from
      the membership aspect, and that's mostly for quorum legal
      reasons (but again, I'm sure that some members likely
      have some concerns about members being added before they
      "should" be). No, it appears that most of the concern
      is about growth of the number of projects, and I'm guessing
      that this is what your question is really concerned about...

   Q: Yes, it is. So, what's the answer?
   A: All new projects (and incoming codebases) arrive at the
      ASF via the Incubator. Without going into too much detail,
      Incubated projects do not become ASF projects until
      the are voted on graduation by the Incubator PMC. Thus,
      the Incubator PMC serves as a gatekeeper for new ASF
      projects.

   Q: The Incubator controls who leaves... who controls who
      enters? It seems like both are needed.
   A: Yes, and there are controls for who enters as well.
      Applicants must be sponsored by a current PMC, or
      the board. There is currently some discussion on
      whether the Incubator can (or should) also have some
      say in this. Some feel that such a thing is either
      outside of the "powers" given to the Incubator, or would
      constitute undue influence of one PMC over another.
      Others feel that the Incubator would be serving as
      the eyes and ears of the board to ensure the continued
      health of the ASF overall by having some say, a form
      of "checks and balances."

   Q: Sounds like a control issue... What's wrong with these
      people!?
   A: No, it's not. The people discussing this have a very deep
      affinity for the ASF. They want what's best for the ASF,
      and as with most things in life, sometimes people have
      different points of views. It's unfair and inaccurate
      to describe people as either careless (at the one end
      of the spectrum) or control freaks (at the other).

   Q: So why all the discussion?
   A: The worst time to come to a consensus about an issue,
      is when it is imminent. Being proactive is always a
      good thing.

   Q: So who decides?
   A: The members do.

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Re: Growth Summary

Posted by Jim Jagielski <ji...@jaguNET.com>.
On Dec 23, 2005, at 5:34 PM, Justin Erenkrantz wrote:

> --On December 23, 2005 12:47:26 PM -0500 Jim Jagielski  
> <ji...@jaguNET.com> wrote:
>
>>    Q: The Incubator controls who leaves... who controls who
>>       enters? It seems like both are needed.
>>    A: Yes, and there are controls for who enters as well.
>>       Applicants must be sponsored by a current PMC, or
>>       the board. There is currently some discussion on
>
> I thought the Board delegated the initial proposal approval of new  
> TLP projects (i.e. no sponsoring PMC) to the Incubator PMC?  As a  
> checkpoint, the Board will certify the *exit* of podling's TLPs  
> after the Incubator certifies again.  When a project has PMC  
> approval, the Incubaotr PMC alone can do the certification of exit.
>

The board has always reserved the right to sponsor a new project. That
doesn't go away, even when we want the Incubator to do it.

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Re: Growth Summary

Posted by Sam Ruby <ru...@apache.org>.
Justin Erenkrantz wrote:
> --On December 23, 2005 12:47:26 PM -0500 Jim Jagielski <ji...@jaguNET.com> 
> wrote:
> 
>>    Q: The Incubator controls who leaves... who controls who
>>       enters? It seems like both are needed.
>>    A: Yes, and there are controls for who enters as well.
>>       Applicants must be sponsored by a current PMC, or
>>       the board. There is currently some discussion on
> 
> I thought the Board delegated the initial proposal approval of new TLP 
> projects (i.e. no sponsoring PMC) to the Incubator PMC?  As a 
> checkpoint, the Board will certify the *exit* of podling's TLPs after 
> the Incubator certifies again.  When a project has PMC approval, the 
> Incubaotr PMC alone can do the certification of exit.

It effectively works out that way.

As a current PMC, the incubator can sponsor a proposal.  In fact, the 
incubator policy[1] explicitly calls out this case.

I don't expect the board to ever sponsor a project again - but then 
again the board hasn't given up the right to do so.

- Sam Ruby

[1] http://incubator.apache.org/incubation/Incubation_Policy.html#Sponsor


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Re: Growth Summary

Posted by Justin Erenkrantz <ju...@erenkrantz.com>.
--On December 23, 2005 12:47:26 PM -0500 Jim Jagielski <ji...@jaguNET.com> 
wrote:

>    Q: The Incubator controls who leaves... who controls who
>       enters? It seems like both are needed.
>    A: Yes, and there are controls for who enters as well.
>       Applicants must be sponsored by a current PMC, or
>       the board. There is currently some discussion on

I thought the Board delegated the initial proposal approval of new TLP 
projects (i.e. no sponsoring PMC) to the Incubator PMC?  As a checkpoint, 
the Board will certify the *exit* of podling's TLPs after the Incubator 
certifies again.  When a project has PMC approval, the Incubaotr PMC alone 
can do the certification of exit.

Nice synergy there, methinks.  -- justin

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