Launcher project status

[Rick Moynihan <ri...@calicojack.co.uk>]

Hi,

I recently submitted a bug report for the Launcher project, as well as a 
  patch for an additional launcher feature.  Further to this I have 
tried contacting some of the project developers listed at:

http://jakarta.apache.org/commons/launcher/team-list.html

I have also tried some of the email addresses listed in the launcher 
sources.  Unfortunately all my attempts have led to bouncing emails. 
This has led me to wonder about Launcher's status within Apache.  I 
realise that Launcher seems to suffer from a lack of community and 
development, but I consider it to be a useful project, solving issues 
which few other projects (to my knowledge) address.

Does anyone here know whether the Launcher project is dormant?  If so 
why isn't it listed as such?  Does anyone know whether the original 
developers are still active and/or contactable?

What is the best way to go about getting the feature requests and bug 
fixes I speak of addressed?  Also If I were to manage to find the time 
to address the bug I speak of how would I go about getting the changes 
committed?

In many ways I find it hard to believe that Launcher isn't used more. 
Is there another more popular alternative that I am not aware of?

Thanks for your help,

R.


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Re: Launcher project status

[Rick Moynihan <ri...@calicojack.co.uk>]

Hi Henri, first off thanks for getting back to me.  Your comments 
particularly about shepherding are useful.

Henri Yandell wrote:
 > ...
> We've not yet broached the subject of moving released components into
> dormancy, but I think the time has come. Discovery, Attributes,
> Launcher and Daemon all strike me as inactive and not something anyone
> has an itch to be supporting.

Rather than pushing projects into Dormancy straight away, would it not 
be better to put out an official list of projects which are in need of 
maintainers and direction?  This might give such projects a new chance 
of life if they are publicly acknowledged as being in danger of falling 
into dormancy.  I'm thinking that Apache could run something similar to 
the Unmaintained Free Software Wiki:

http://www.unmaintained-free-software.org/

Though I have not used Commons Daemon, it appears to also be a useful 
project addressing a need which only one other project I know of 
addresses, the Java Service Wrapper.

>> Does anyone know whether the original developers are still active 
>> and/or contactable?
> 
> I don't think any are active within Commons. I don't think Launcher is
> used in Tomcat anymore and that was its main area of use.
 >
>> What is the best way to go about getting the feature requests and bug
>> fixes I speak of addressed?
>>
>> Also If I were to manage to find the time
>> to address the bug I speak of how would I go about getting the changes
>> committed?
> 
> It's essential to find a person on the mailing list who is active and
> is prepared to be your hands. If you have that, then you can pretty
> easily drive a component but if you're just getting silence then it's
> impossible and forking is your only choice.
> 
> My suggested plan for that is:
> 
> * Create issues in JIRA
> * Attach patches to issues in JIRA (beyond your own). Write unit
> tests and attach to JIRA.
> * Hassle the list at a point where a) you've got enough critical mass
> in JIRA to show you are serious, and b) you've expended your first
> burst of energy/time. Your goal here is to find someone who can
> shepherd your patches, offer advice and apply the commits.
> * Use the wiki to create a plan of what you think should go in the
> next release and what shouldn't (see:
> http://wiki.apache.org/jakarta-taglibs/Standard_1%2e1%2e3 ).
> * Repeat the above until commit access is granted. The person
> shepherding the patches is the one to nudge about when that time is
> right.
> 
> If no one steps up to shepherd though - I'd either give up the ghost
> or fork the project depending on how tied you are to it.
> 
> The general community view is that we'd love to see you getting
> involved and driving the project on, that we'd love it to be within
> Commons, and that we're hoping someone can find the time to shepherd.
> 
>> In many ways I find it hard to believe that Launcher isn't used more.
>> Is there another more popular alternative that I am not aware of?
> 
> Not that I know of.
> 
> Hen
> 
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Re: Launcher project status

[Henri Yandell <fl...@gmail.com>]

On 2/5/07, Rick Moynihan <ri...@calicojack.co.uk> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I recently submitted a bug report for the Launcher project, as well as a
>   patch for an additional launcher feature.  Further to this I have
> tried contacting some of the project developers listed at:
>
> http://jakarta.apache.org/commons/launcher/team-list.html
>
> I have also tried some of the email addresses listed in the launcher
> sources.  Unfortunately all my attempts have led to bouncing emails.
> This has led me to wonder about Launcher's status within Apache.  I
> realise that Launcher seems to suffer from a lack of community and
> development, but I consider it to be a useful project, solving issues
> which few other projects (to my knowledge) address.
>
> Does anyone here know whether the Launcher project is dormant?

I think so. January 2005 was the last time SVN saw noticeable work,
with a 1.2 release being worked on but not released.

> If so why isn't it listed as such?

We've not yet broached the subject of moving released components into
dormancy, but I think the time has come. Discovery, Attributes,
Launcher and Daemon all strike me as inactive and not something anyone
has an itch to be supporting.

> Does anyone know whether the original developers are still active and/or contactable?

I don't think any are active within Commons. I don't think Launcher is
used in Tomcat anymore and that was its main area of use.

> What is the best way to go about getting the feature requests and bug
> fixes I speak of addressed?
>
> Also If I were to manage to find the time
> to address the bug I speak of how would I go about getting the changes
> committed?

It's essential to find a person on the mailing list who is active and
is prepared to be your hands. If you have that, then you can pretty
easily drive a component but if you're just getting silence then it's
impossible and forking is your only choice.

My suggested plan for that is:

 * Create issues in JIRA
 * Attach patches to issues in JIRA (beyond your own). Write unit
tests and attach to JIRA.
 * Hassle the list at a point where a) you've got enough critical mass
in JIRA to show you are serious, and b) you've expended your first
burst of energy/time. Your goal here is to find someone who can
shepherd your patches, offer advice and apply the commits.
 * Use the wiki to create a plan of what you think should go in the
next release and what shouldn't (see:
http://wiki.apache.org/jakarta-taglibs/Standard_1%2e1%2e3 ).
 * Repeat the above until commit access is granted. The person
shepherding the patches is the one to nudge about when that time is
right.

If no one steps up to shepherd though - I'd either give up the ghost
or fork the project depending on how tied you are to it.

The general community view is that we'd love to see you getting
involved and driving the project on, that we'd love it to be within
Commons, and that we're hoping someone can find the time to shepherd.

> In many ways I find it hard to believe that Launcher isn't used more.
> Is there another more popular alternative that I am not aware of?

Not that I know of.

Hen

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