Summary (was Re: Scope)

["Daniel F. Savarese" <df...@savarese.org>]

I don't know how useful this thread has been to everyone else, but it's
been helpful to me because I was starting to feel I misunderstood
the spirit of the Jakarta project.

I think it might be useful to add these extracts from the thread
as addenda to "Creation of subprojects" on 
  http://jakarta.apache.org/site/management.html
They coincide with what I had understood to be guidelines and
would have relieved my doubts, and presumably those of any future PMC
members.

o We're not a software repository, we're here to host communities
  of developers, communities working in our way.

o Don't go chasing projects; let them come to us.

o Projects must have a community that can be supported by an
  Apache meritocracy.

o At any time, the majority of committers of a code base may vote
  to remove their project from Jakarta.

o Projects should be compatible with the Jakarta mission
  (http://jakarta.apache.org/site/mission.html), but not to the point
  that a strictly literal interpretation of "server solutions" excludes
  projects that meet the criteria of utility, community, and quality.

At any rate, since I've gotten chatty all of a sudden, it must
mean I have some time on my hands, so I think I'll return to a
"less talk, more coding" mode.  

daniel



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Re: Summary (was Re: Scope)

[Ted Husted <hu...@apache.org>]

The "spirit" of Jakarta was more evident in the contstituion back on
java.apache.org: 

"Unlike other open source projects where an individual rules the project
as a benevolent dictator, the Java Apache Project form is government is
based on merit: everyone who deserves it get the right to vote and
everyone who is able to vote partecipates in the ruling of the project.
This kind of government helps in maintaining the project going even when
core individuals leave the project or don't  have enough time. The
project itself is like the ancient Greek Agora idea, where everybody
helps and who deserves it decide. This meritocracy allows the project to
be very flexible toward people presence and allows fast and safe changes
in the core group since who decides is always who is more involved and
cares the most."

And, oops, I just realized that I never promoted the working draft of
the guidelines 

< http://jakarta.apache.org/site/proposal.html >

to the top level of the site. Assuming that's still OK, I'll go ahead
and do that.

Perhaps I should also add the above as a "preamble" to clarify what we
are really suppose to be doing here -- developing open source software
the Apache way. 

> o At any time, the majority of committers of a code base may vote
>   to remove their project from Jakarta.

I don't know if that's exactly true. Anyone can go off and start a new
codebase based on any Apache product, but they are suppose to use a new
name and their own copyright. An active codebase exists whereever people
want to work on it. If a bunch of committers decide to go elsewhere,
either some other developers will step up to the plate, or the codebase
will grow obsolete. The code belongs to the developers who want to
improve it, but the brand belongs to Apache. Once the brand is donated,
I don't think the donation is revockable by anyone except the ASF. 

-Ted.

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