I'd like to start a discussion about promoting Avro from a Hadoop
sub-project to a top-level Apache project (TLP).
This is not yet a vote. Once we have established general understanding
and agreement, I'll call a vote.
I propose we move Avro from hadoop.apache.org/avro to avro.apache.org.
Avro would then have it's own Project Management Committee (PMC) so that
it can elect committers and create releases on its own. Currently these
actions require votes by the Hadoop PMC. However I think Avro now has a
sufficiently large, diverse and distinct community that it can fend for
itself.
I suggest that initial Avro PMC consist of all active Avro committers at
the time we make the formal proposal. This is typical for new TLPs.
(Subsequently PMCs tend to promote committers to the PMC. The Hadoop
PMC generally promotes committers to the PMC after a year of consistent
activity, while some projects immediately add new committers to their
PMC. But we don't need to decide our policy for new PMC membership now,
only the makeup of the initial PMC.)
I nominate myself as the initial chair of the Avro PMC, with the proviso
that we adopt a policy of regular chair replacement. I suggest that
Avro PMC chairs serve a one or two-year term. A PMC chair has no more
power than other PMC members, but rather has a few more duties. In
particular, the chair must submit written quarterly reports to the board
describing the health of the projects developer community. The chair
also maintains subversion permissions and committer account creation.
Do these proposal sound reasonable? Any improvements or questions?
For some background, please read:
http://www.apache.org/foundation/how-it-works.html#roles
The steps I imagine are roughly:
- discussion by Avro developers (what I'm starting here today)
- vote by Avro developers
- discussion by Hadoop PMC
- vote by Hadoop PMC
- draft resolution sent to board
- board votes on resolution to form TLP
Formally, the board alone has the power to create a TLP: all prior steps
are merely an ordered means to make the case to the board that all
involved parties support such an action.
Thanks,
Doug
