Proposing Xalan to move to being a top level Apache Project

[Brian Minchau <mi...@ca.ibm.com>]

Currently Xalan is a sub project of the top level Apache XML project.

I am proposing that Xalan change from being a sub-project of the top level
Apache XML project to being  a top-level Apache project of its own.

The reasons are:

1 The XML mission statement is not what we are following. In the future
Xalan could have its own.
2 The XML umbrella is over burdened with so many sub-projects
3. Xerces would like to use the serializer that is inside of Xalan.

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On the first point, have a look at http://xml.apache.org/mission.html.
Xalan doesn't follow it, and it is difficult to change a mission statement
that applies to so many subprojects of the top-level XML project.  For
example, in order to make a code change to Xalan (or any sub-project of the
XML top-level project), it says this: "Three +1 ('yes' votes) with no -1
('no' votes or vetoes) are needed to approve a code change."

We don't do that.  We could change the mission statement, but on this issue
the mission statement says: "Changes must be unanimously approved by all
members of the PMC.".  This statement applies to all members of the PMC
across all XML sub-projects.  If one PMC member fails to vote, then it is
not unanimous.

As a top level project we could have our own mission statement that we
actually follow. Of course I'm sure some lawyers would get involved here,
but those lawyers probably haven't read the existing mission statement.

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On the second point, the XML PMC chairperson, Berin Lautenbach,  is having
difficulty fulfilling the requirements of the mission.  For example how can
he really even try to make sure of the quality of each of the sub-projects.
The mission statement says: "1.1 xml.apache.org is a collaborative software
development project
dedicated to providing robust, full-featured, commercial-quality . . .".
The mission also says this about the project management committee's
responsibilities in section 5.3 d) : "Overseeing xml.apache.org to ensure
that the mission defined in this document is being fulfilled."

As a top level project we could guarantee our quality, and we could make
sure that we follow our mission statement.

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On point 3, the serializer, that is currently inside of Xalan, is looking
at having its own packaging and release so that it can be shared by both
Xerces and Xalan. This could be accomplished as a sub project of a
top-level Xalan project.

Discussion?

Brian Minchau
XSLT Development, IBM Toronto
e-mail:        minchau@ca.ibm.com


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