svn commit: r790379 - in /websites/production/community: ./ content/contributors/index.html

[rg...@apache.org]

Author: rgardler
Date: Thu Jun  2 13:44:17 2011
New Revision: 790379

Log:
Publishing merge to community site by rgardler

Modified:
    websites/production/community/   (props changed)
    websites/production/community/content/contributors/index.html

Propchange: websites/production/community/
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--- svn:mergeinfo (original)
+++ svn:mergeinfo Thu Jun  2 13:44:17 2011
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
 /websites/staging/comdev/trunk:779592-779702
-/websites/staging/community/trunk:779703-790357
+/websites/staging/community/trunk:779703-790378

Modified: websites/production/community/content/contributors/index.html
==============================================================================
--- websites/production/community/content/contributors/index.html (original)
+++ websites/production/community/content/contributors/index.html Thu Jun  2 13:44:17 2011
@@ -103,9 +103,9 @@
                          <DIV class="wiki-content">
                           <p>This page is intended for those people who are reasonably 
 comfortable with open source development models but need a helping hand finding 
-their way around The Apache Software Foundation.</p>
-<p>At the time of writing we don't have much here, so we suggest you mail us
-with your questions.</p>
+their way around The Apache Software Foundation and our way of developing software
+(commonly called "The Apache Way"). For those wishing to start from
+the very beginning we have a <a href="/newcomers/index.html">newcomers page</a> too.</p>
 <h2 id="project_independence">Project Independence</h2>
 <p>While not all aspects of the Apache Way are practiced the same way by 
 all projects at the ASF, there are a number of rules that Apache 
@@ -118,6 +118,45 @@ environemnt in which all participants ar
 opportunity to contribute to and benefit from our software, regardless
 of motivation or financial objectives. This is discussed in more detail
 in our document <a href="/projectIndependence.html">Project Independence</a>.</p>
+<h2 id="from_contributor_to_committer">From contributor to committer</h2>
+<p>Anyone can be a contributor to an Apache project. Being a contributor simply means
+that you take an interest in the project and contribute in some way, ranging from asking
+sensible questions (which documents the project and provides feedback to developers)
+through to providing new features as patches.</p>
+<p>If you become a valuable contributor to the project you may well be invited to become
+a committer. Committer is an term used at the ASF to signify someone who is
+committed to a particular project. It brings with it the privilege of right access to
+the project repository and resources. In many projects committers are also invited 
+to be part of the core group within the project that ensures the project's vitality 
+(represented by the Project Management Committee, PMC). In a few projects a only a subset of 
+committers, who have earned even more merit, are invited to be a part of the PMC.</p>
+<p>One thing that is sometimes hard to understand when you are new to the open 
+development1 process used at the ASF, is that we value the community more than 
+the code. A strong and healthy community will be respectful and be a fun and 
+rewarding place. Strong code will evolve. </p>
+<h3 id="contributing_to_the_project_-_copdoc">Contributing to the Project - CoPDoC</h3>
+<p>The foundations of an Apache project and how the community contributes to it is 
+sometimes referred to by the acronym CoPDoC:</p>
+<ul>
+<li>(Co)mmunity - one must interact with others, and share vision and knowledge</li>
+<li>(P)roject - a clear vision and consensus are needed</li>
+<li>(Do)cumentation - without it, the stuff remains only in the minds of the authors</li>
+<li>(C)ode - discussion goes nowhere without code</li>
+</ul>
+<h3 id="becoming_a_committer">Becoming a Committer</h3>
+<p>There is nothing at The Apache Software Foundation that says you must write code 
+in order to be a committer. Anyone who is supportive of the community and works 
+in any of the CoPDoC areas is a likely candidate for committership.</p>
+<p>Apache is a meritocracy. That is, once someone has contributed sufficiently to 
+any area of CoPDoC they can be voted in as a committer. Being a committer does 
+not mean you commit code, it means you are committed to the project.</p>
+<p>One of the key contributions people can make to the community is through the 
+support of a wide user base by assisting users on the user list, writing user 
+oriented docs and ensuring the user viewpoint is understood by all developers. 
+A main idea behind being a committer is the ability to be a mentor and to work 
+cooperatively with your peers.</p>
+<p>Some of those users become committers in their own write. Some will test code, 
+some will write documentation, some will do bug triage and some will write code.</p>
 <h2 id="questions_and_feedback">Questions and Feedback</h2>
 <p>Feedback can be provided and questions asked by subscribing to our mailing
 list by sending a mail to