Hi JB,

I'm fine with continuing this vote thread and aligning on spec / API change
procedures separately.

As I indicated in my first reply with the -1 vote, I intend to update it
once the GH comments are resolved.

To be clear: I'm not against adding this API, but I believe the OpenAPI
definition in PR [3826] needs some improvements before merging. Therefore,
I voted as requested by the vote email: "-1 I have questions and/or
concerns".

Re: the previously discussed proposal doc, TBH, I do not see an exact
definition of the new REST API in it. Examples are present, but it's not
the same thing as a spec. So, PR [3826] was the first concrete spec change
related to this proposal that I am aware of (I might have missed something,
apologies if so).

[3826] https://github.com/apache/polaris/pull/3826

Cheers,
Dmitri.

On Fri, Feb 20, 2026 at 5:47 AM Jean-Baptiste Onofré <[email protected]>
wrote:

> Hi Robert,
>
> I understand your perspective on the process and see that your points
> regarding timing are valid. I suggest we start a separate thread to align
> on these procedures and update our contribution guidelines if necessary;
> the community should clearly define the implications of our voting process.
>
> While voting is an effective tool for both visibility and consensus, I
> generally prefer starting with a discussion to reach lazy consensus on the
> dev@ mailing list. That said, lazy consensus is an alternative, and it is
> perfectly acceptable for a committer to initiate a code-modification vote.
>
> I view this vote as similar to our previous one regarding OpenAPI return
> values (https://lists.apache.org/thread/rv3sqno6orfyx7h3f2llb8lkq00zofg8),
> which is why I believe there is a precedent for this approach with
> REST/OpenAPI changes.
>
> I would like to move forward with my original proposal: let's proceed with
> the current vote and continue addressing comments within the PR. In the
> meantime, please feel free to start a new thread specifically to discuss
> how we handle future REST/OpenAPI change proposals.
>
> What do you think?
>
> Regards,
> JB
>
> On Fri, Feb 20, 2026 at 10:37 AM Robert Stupp <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > Hi all,
> >
> > Thanks a lot for all the discussion that happened on this topic.
> >
> > What Yun is asking for is, I think, general consensus on and broader
> > awareness of the public user facing REST API change, which is totally
> fine!
> >
> > The first email in this thread may appear to call for a code-change vote
> on
> > the current contents of the mentioned pull request, especially its user
> > facing inline documentation.
> > User facing documentation often raises questions, proposals for
> > improvements and general comments.
> >
> > I tried to find a previous vote thread regarding a public facing REST API
> > change, but could not find one. So I think this is the first time this
> has
> > happened.
> > As with all new things, mistakes and misunderstandings can happen on any
> > side.
> >
> > The ASF has pretty strict rules for votes [1], which require defining the
> > scope of the vote and the meaning of the (+1/0/-1) votes. It's a very
> > formal process that allows little room for interpretation.
> > A binding -1, raised due to a question or concern, as stated in the
> initial
> > email, blocks both the proposal and the voted-on PR until it is
> withdrawn,
> > as proposed in the vote.
> >
> > As a proposal to move forward, I suggest halting this vote, addressing
> the
> > comments on the PR, and potentially on the proposal document if there are
> > open concerns, and then restarting the vote clock.
> > If people feel that stopping and restarting the "vote clock" is
> > inappropriate, cancelling this vote and starting a new one later is a
> > possible alternative.
> >
> > For the future, I propose relaxing the timing a little bit.
> > If people feel that an "awareness vote" is needed, perhaps open the PR
> and
> > maybe send a "vote coming heads-up" to the mailing list first to give
> > people some time to review the actual code changes. After that, call for
> > the vote.
> > But I also propose being stricter about the meaning of votes: like ask
> for
> > "+1: I agree to the PR as it stands" and "-1: I do not agree, because of
> > technical issues, justification is required." and "0: (I don't care?)" in
> > the vote.
> > A formal process definition is not required in my opinion.
> >
> > We, the Polaris project, acknowledge that many of our contributors
> dedicate
> > their weekend time to relax [2] and start the next week with a fresh
> mind.
> > What I'm trying to say is: it's Friday, so don't start your well deserved
> > weekend with a heated mind ;)
> >
> > I think our community can learn from this experience and I am confident
> we
> > can resolve this and improve in the future.
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Robert
> >
> > [1] https://www.apache.org/foundation/voting.html
> > [2]
> >
> >
> https://polaris.apache.org/community/contributing-guidelines/#code-contribution-guidelines
> >
> >
> > On Fri, Feb 20, 2026 at 6:57 AM Jean-Baptiste Onofré <[email protected]>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > Hi
> > >
> > > I would like to provide two perspectives:
> > >
> > > 1. This kind of vote is totally fine, because it's considered as a
> > > consensus approval. In this scenario, a negative vote constitutes a
> veto,
> > > which the voting group (generally the PMC of a project) cannot
> override.
> > > Again, this model may be modified by a lazy consensus declaration when
> > the
> > > request for a vote is raised, but the full-stop nature of a negative
> vote
> > > does not change. Under normal (non-lazy consensus) conditions, the
> > proposal
> > > requires three +1 votes and no -1 votes in order to pass; if it fails
> to
> > > garner the requisite amount of support, it doesn't. Then the proposer
> > > either withdraws the proposal or modifies the code and resubmits it, or
> > the
> > > proposal simply languishes as an open issue until someone gets around
> to
> > > removing it. Unless the proposer declares that the vote is using lazy
> > > consensus, three +1 votes are required for a code-modification proposal
> > to
> > > pass.
> > > 2. Before this vote, we had a discussion about credential vending ini
> > > Generic Table (
> > > https://lists.apache.org/thread/9y0xnjfn4n06svkt657gcsplk6sc7dhf). As
> > the
> > > PR change the spec, the vote is fair and appropriate here. The PR is
> > > "materialize" what is in the proposal document:
> > >
> > >
> >
> https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QzTx4tcS23_mF-gc77GbTqtwuRHY5f_Aa_6E4VSKFU4/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.rpqtaz73xt4v
> > > In the "API Spec for Credential Vending" section of the proposal
> > document,
> > > I don't see "blocker comments" in the document.
> > >
> > > So, it's not like the PR is coming from nowhere, the proposal is 3
> weeks
> > > old and has been shared on the mailing list.
> > >
> > > We agreed in the past to call a vote for any "user facing" change: API
> or
> > > REST Spec. I don't think we need more.
> > >
> > > The questions in the PR are certainly addressable quickly (mostly
> > questions
> > > about S3/AWS wording in the description section).
> > > So, I would suggest keeping this vote open to give visibility to the
> > > community and consensus approval, and in the meantime, we update the PR
> > > with the comments.
> > > The vote is open to 72 hours but it can run longer than that (that's a
> > > minimum time).
> > >
> > > Regards
> > > JB
> > >
> > > On Fri, Feb 20, 2026 at 4:22 AM Dmitri Bourlatchkov <[email protected]>
> > > wrote:
> > >
> > > > I do not mind using VOTE threads for more rigorous approvals. My
> point
> > > was
> > > > only that it makes sense to start a vote after the change (PR)
> reaches
> > a
> > > > stable state (implying it has been reviewed).
> > > >
> > > > From my personal POV, a "DISCUSS" thread provides enough visibility
> and
> > > GH
> > > > tracks approvals for other code changes anyway. The only difference
> is
> > > that
> > > > GH does not distinguish between PMC and Committer votes, but this
> > doesn't
> > > > matter in Polaris since the general agreement is to treat all
> comments
> > /
> > > > concerns as blocking until they are resolved [1].
> > > >
> > > > It might be worthwhile starting a separate discussion about how we
> > > approach
> > > > REST API changes just to bring everyone onto the same page and update
> > [1]
> > > >
> > > > [1] https://polaris.apache.org/community/contributing-guidelines/
> > > >
> > > > Cheers,
> > > > Dmitri.
> > > >
> > > > On Thu, Feb 19, 2026 at 9:02 PM Russell Spitzer <
> > > [email protected]
> > > > >
> > > > wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > So no vote threads on changes? Just PR reviews? That's fine if it's
> > > > worked
> > > > > well in the past. We
> > > > > had done this for Iceberg so folks would have a heads up when
> things
> > > were
> > > > > going to change even
> > > > > if they weren't following the specific discussion or PR, but we
> don't
> > > > have
> > > > > to do that here.
> > > > >
> > > > > On Thu, Feb 19, 2026 at 6:25 PM Dmitri Bourlatchkov <
> > [email protected]>
> > > > > wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > > Hi Russell,
> > > > > >
> > > > > > That's probably where people's perceptions differ :)
> > > > > >
> > > > > > I would have expected a GH review first, followed by a formal
> vote
> > > once
> > > > > the
> > > > > > reviews are positive. As for me, voting should happen on a stable
> > > > change
> > > > > > set, but in this case the PR is likely to change. If/when that
> > > happens
> > > > a
> > > > > > new VOTE would be in order (as for a new RC).
> > > > > >
> > > > > > That said, we've had a few cases where a REST API change got a
> > > > DISCUSSION
> > > > > > email thread and formal approvals in GH (without a VOTE thread).
> > As I
> > > > > > recall, this has been the prevalent pattern so far. From my POV
> we
> > > > might
> > > > > as
> > > > > > well cancel this vote and start a DISCUSSION thread instead
> > (linking
> > > to
> > > > > > previous proposal emails), with a notice that approvals are to be
> > > done
> > > > in
> > > > > > GH. WDYT?
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Cheers,
> > > > > > Dmitri.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > On Thu, Feb 19, 2026 at 3:47 PM Russell Spitzer <
> > > > > [email protected]
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > wrote:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > I generally thought a +1 here is basically a go ahead to merge
> > the
> > > PR
> > > > > > > whenever it has sufficient reviews as we have approved the
> > concept.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > On Thu, Feb 19, 2026 at 1:09 PM Dmitri Bourlatchkov <
> > > > [email protected]>
> > > > > > > wrote:
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Hi Yun,
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Thanks for opening the spec change PR!
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > I wonder if this vote call might have been a bit premature...
> > > > before
> > > > > > the
> > > > > > > PR
> > > > > > > > received reviews in GH... In any case I left some comments in
> > GH.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Voting -1 (binding) for now as explained in GH comments. Will
> > > > update
> > > > > my
> > > > > > > > vote after GH comments are discussed.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Cheers,
> > > > > > > > Dmitri.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > On Wed, Feb 18, 2026 at 8:19 PM yun zou <
> > > > [email protected]>
> > > > > > > > wrote:
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > Hi All,
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > Given the growing interest in Generic Table, I propose
> adding
> > > > > > > credential
> > > > > > > > > vending support to further enhance its data governance
> > > > > capabilities.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > The detailed discussion has taken place in a separate
> > thread. I
> > > > > would
> > > > > > > now
> > > > > > > > > like to call for a vote to adopt the storage credential API
> > > > > > > > specification,
> > > > > > > > > which clearly documents the storage configurations
> supported
> > by
> > > > > > Polaris
> > > > > > > > in
> > > > > > > > > its description.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > Thank you all for your reviews and feedback.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > Please refer to the link below for additional details:
> > > > > > > > > - Spec change PR:
> > https://github.com/apache/polaris/pull/3826
> > > > > > > > > - Related Issue:
> > https://github.com/apache/polaris/issues/3020
> > > > > > > > > - Discussion thread:
> > > > > > > > >
> > > https://lists.apache.org/thread/9y0xnjfn4n06svkt657gcsplk6sc7dhf
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > Please vote in the next 72 hours:
> > > > > > > > > [ ] +1 Add these changes to the spec
> > > > > > > > > [ ] +0
> > > > > > > > > [ ] -1 I have questions and/or concerns
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > Best Regards,
> > > > > > > > > Yun
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
>

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