Hi All, I am terriblely sorry regarding my last email which should be private. Please ignore it. And forgive me!
Best Chao ----- Original Message ----- From: "Chaosun" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Cc: <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, June 09, 2011 11:01 AM Subject: Re: [tdf-discuss] Proposal to join Apache OpenOffice > 当前OOo的现状。主要从ASF和IBM角度来看。 > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Allen Pulsifer" <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]>; <[email protected]> > Sent: Saturday, June 04, 2011 10:06 AM > Subject: [tdf-discuss] Proposal to join Apache OpenOffice > > >> Greetings All, >> >> Some of you will remember me as a long time member of the OpenOffice.org >> community. In fact, back in the day, it was sometimes just myself and >> Michael Meeks who were openly complaining on the OOo mailing list about >> Sun's handling of the "community" :-) >> >> I'm writing today about what is going on over at the Apache project. When I >> heard Oracle was donating the OpenOffice code to the Apache project, I >> headed over there to see what was going on. I offer this brief report to >> bring everyone up to speed: >> >> - According to officers of the Apache Software Foundation, Oracle donated >> OpenOffice to the ASF by executing the ASF's standard copyright grant. This >> grant allows the ASF to release the OpenOffice code under the Apache >> License. >> >> - The ASF however has a process to accept a project. The OpenOffice project >> is now in the proposal stage. If accepted, it will join the Apache >> Incubator and become a "podling", which is basically a >> project-in-development. During the podling stage, the project would be >> expected to complete the steps needed to become a full ASF project. Among >> other requirements, the podling project has to review the copyright history >> of all code to ensure it has a clean "title" and is or can be licensed under >> the Apache License. If it completes that process, it then becomes a full >> Apache project. See >> https://blogs.apache.org/foundation/entry/incubation_at_apache_what_s >> >> - While the code donation was made by Oracle, the primary champion in the >> effort to get the code accepted as is Apache Project is IBM. Let's have no >> illusions or delusions about this. IBM has a self-interested motive in >> championing this project. Basically, IBM would like to setup a community >> where both it and other contributors make contributions under the Apache >> License, and then IBM would take some or all of those contributions and use >> them in its proprietary products which includes for example IBM Lotus >> Symphony. The Apache License specifically allows this. In fact, the Apache >> License allows anyone to take the code and use it in their own project, open >> source or closed source. In the Apache world, that is considered a feature >> not a bug. The ASF would like to see as many people using the code as >> possible, and for that reason, their license is as liberal as possible, >> allowing anyone to use the code. That is exactly the reason that IBM is >> championing this as an Apache Project, rather than a LGPL project. >> >> And that brings me (almost) to the point of this email. Any code >> contributed to the Apache OpenOffice project could be used by anyone, >> including The Document Foundation, which can take the code, integrate it >> into LibreOffice, and release it under the LGPL. Sounds like a good deal, >> huh? >> >> Here's the rub. IBM, as I mentioned, is doing this for self-interested >> reasons. I would like to propose the members of LibreOffice community get >> involved in this for similarly self-interested reasons. >> >> I understand there are some bad feelings toward IBM. Basically, there is >> the perception that IBM has been taking OpenOffice code all of these years >> and contributing little back to the OpenOffice community. That is probably >> true. As far as I can see, IBM has at least been taking much more than it >> has given back. I'm not sure that can continue though, because as the >> champion of the proposed Apache OpenOffice project, IBM is going to have to >> contribute. >> >> So you might say though, why not just sit back, let IBM make contributions >> to Apache OpenOffice, and then we'll just cherry pick what we want for >> LibreOffice. Well that would certainly work, but I don't think it would >> work as well as getting involved. >> >> There is also another player in this, and that is the Apache Software >> Foundation. The ASF is an honorable organization with a long track record >> in open source and they are dedicated to fostering a community. In the ASF, >> anyone can contribute. Contributions and participation are made by >> individuals, not by or on behalf of companies or organizations. The >> community determines the direction of the project. Membership in the >> community is based on merit, which is measured not just by code >> contributions, but by anything that supports the project, which could also >> include documentation, testing, bug reports, etc. >> >> So while the LibreOffice could just sit back and cherry-pick the project, if >> its members get involved, they can help determine the direction of the >> project, ensuring that the project direction and design decision are >> compatible with LibreOffice and have the maximum value to LibreOffice. The >> ASF has no problems with this--in fact, they encourage it. Just as IBM is >> getting involved in an Apache OpenOffice project because they want to use >> the code in their products, the ASF will welcome TDF members getting >> involved for the same self-interested reason, to use the code in >> LibreOffice. >> >> Critically, at this stage in the process, everyone has a "free pass" to get >> involved. Normally, once the project is up and running, you would have to >> demonstrate your merit before you can join the project. But for the next >> few days, while the project is in the proposal stage, the gates are wide >> open--anyone can join as an initial member. >> >> So here is my suggestion: I propose the everyone here head over to the >> Apache Incubator and join the proposal as an initial member. To do that, >> simply: >> >> 1. Go to http://wiki.apache.org/incubator/OpenOfficeProposal >> 2. Click "Login" at the top. >> 3. Follow the directions to create an account. >> 4. After your account is setup, go back to >> http://wiki.apache.org/incubator/OpenOfficeProposal and if you still see >> "Login" at the top of the page, click on it and login using the account you >> just created. >> 5. Go back to http://wiki.apache.org/incubator/OpenOfficeProposal and click >> "Edit (GUI)". >> 6. Scroll down to the "Initial Committers" table, right-click on the last >> row, select Row -> Insert After, then add you name to the table. Note: the >> "Initial Committers" are the initial project members. While "Committers" >> imply code contributors, it is not just limited to that--anyone can be a >> committer. >> 7. In the Comment field at the bottom of the page (below the text editor), >> enter "added self to Initial Committers", then click "Save Changes" above >> the text editor. >> 8. Check the page to make sure your name appears. >> >> That's it. It does not obligate you to make any code contributions, but it >> will get you in on the ground floor and allow you to participate in the >> direction of the project. I just did it myself. >> >> Some of you may have noticed that Greg Stein, a member of the Apache >> Software Foundation Board of Directors has joined this list and offered to >> answer any questions. Please feel free to ask him about anything that is on >> your mind. He would be a better person to answer, since I'm new to all this >> Apache stuff myself :-) >> >> Best Regards, >> >> Allen >> >> >> >> -- >> Unsubscribe instructions: E-mail to [email protected] >> Posting guidelines + more: http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Netiquette >> List archive: http://listarchives.documentfoundation.org/www/discuss/ >> All messages sent to this list will be publicly archived and cannot be >> deleted > -- > Unsubscribe instructions: E-mail to [email protected] > Posting guidelines + more: http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Netiquette > List archive: http://listarchives.documentfoundation.org/www/discuss/ > All messages sent to this list will be publicly archived and cannot be deleted > -- Unsubscribe instructions: E-mail to [email protected] Posting guidelines + more: http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Netiquette List archive: http://listarchives.documentfoundation.org/www/discuss/ All messages sent to this list will be publicly archived and cannot be deleted
