On Thu, Jun 14, 2012 at 2:08 AM, Dennis E. Hamilton
<[email protected]> wrote:
> I just realized that there is a principle around the election of committers 
> that may have been lost sight of.
>

Where can I find the principle in detail?

> Here is something to consider:
>
> The classical case for someone becoming a committer is that they can 
> more-easily do something they are already doing.  The usual example: instead 
> of submitting patches that have to be reviewed and committed by someone else, 
> a committer is empowered to apply patches directly to the SVN.
>

Becoming a committer also means more responsibility and more self-government.
Just to developer, if you already get committer rights, I urge you to
get your work reviewed by someone else if possible before getting it
into SVN.


> The Apache OpenOffice project also has need for committers in conjunction 
> with governance responsibilities (such as oversight of the Community Forums) 
> or infrastructure work (e.g., administering the MediaWiki server) and being 
> on the PMC for supporting confidential matters (including ooo-security) and 
> having accountability for oversight.
>
> In looking at someone whose contributions are clear, the next question is, I 
> think, where do they fit in the above picture?  If being a committer (or a 
> PPMC member) is inessential to the work being done, it seems inappropriate to 
> confer committer privileges.  I think neither PPMC (next: PMC) membership nor 
> committer status should be viewed as ceremonial achievements.
>
>  - Dennis
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Yong Lin Ma
> Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2012 22:50
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: Re: [DISCUSS] Rules of voting for new committers and PPMC members
>
> A specific question. What is the criteria for a QE member to become a 
> committer?
>
>
> On Tue, Jun 5, 2012 at 4:50 AM, Dave Fisher <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>> On Jun 4, 2012, at 12:21 PM, Kay Schenk wrote:
>>
>>> On Mon, Jun 4, 2012 at 11:45 AM, Dave Fisher <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Jun 4, 2012, at 1:34 AM, Rob Weir wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> On Sun, Jun 3, 2012 at 9:28 PM, Dave Fisher <[email protected]>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Jun 3, 2012, at 5:18 PM, Kay Schenk <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On 06/03/2012 11:48 AM, Pedro Giffuni wrote:
>>>>>>>> FWIW,
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> The Foundation Roles are explained here:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> http://www.apache.org/foundation/how-it-works.html#roles
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> yes, this is standard ASF policy.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> My question/concern at this point would be --
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> how well do we think this works for Apache OpenOffice?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The PPMC has had the practice of making Committers into PPMC members on
>>>> the same VOTE. This is the practice for some Apache projects, but not all.
>>>> I think that from now on this project should always have separate votes as
>>>> a matter of policy.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> What do others think?
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> If we agree that committer and PMC are different roles with different
>>>>> criteria, then I think that is the natural outcome.
>>>>>
>>>>> But it will depend on the individual.   Consider three types of
>>>> contributors:
>>>>>
>>>>> -- experienced OpenOffice.org contributor, but new to Apache
>>>>>
>>>>> -- new to the project entirely, but experienced with Apache from
>>>>> another Apache project, perhaps already a PMC member in another
>>>>> project
>>>>>
>>>>> - new both to OpenOffice and to Apache
>>>>>
>>>>> Based on prior experience it might be easier/faster to demonstrate the
>>>>> necessary skills these roles.  In the first category, the experienced
>>>>> OOo contributor, I'd expect they could be make a committer quickly,
>>>>> but will take time to learn about The Apache Way.  But in the other
>>>>> categories they might already have that knowledge (in the 2nd case),
>>>>> or develop it concurrently as they learn about the code over a longer
>>>>> period of time,
>>>>>
>>>>> But in principle I think we should be distinguishing this roles.
>>>>
>>>> Let's discuss (2) since now that the project is bootstrapped those in
>>>> category (1) will be quickly recognized and (3) is the usual case.
>>>>
>>>
>>> Well I do have a concern about (1). In fact, given the ecosystem here, with
>>> the amount of "paths" one might take to participate, I wonder if we miss
>>> participation in some arenas.
>>
>> We certainly will.
>>
>>>
>>> I guess the only thing we can hope for in this respect is that a current
>>> PPMC member (or two) has  their fingers in several areas.
>>
>> It is important for all committers and PMC members to identify and encourage 
>> contributors. The PMC should keep a "watch" list of contributors who look 
>> likely. Committers can send suggestions to ooo-private along with the areas 
>> of contribution and interested PMC members can look for sustained effort.
>>
>>>
>>> A discussion for another time perhaps.
>>
>> Yes.
>>
>> Regards,
>> Dave
>>
>>>
>>>>
>>>> Consider
>>>> (a) Committers on another project.
>>>> (b) PMC members on another project.
>>>>
>>>> None of these people expect to automatically be granted roles on another
>>>> Apache project. They expect that they will earn merit, but like the prior
>>>> OpenOffice.org, experience will show. This is why it can be a good idea for
>>>> a project to add experienced Apache committers / PMC members to the
>>>> "Initial Committer" list.
>>>>
>>>> On Jun 3, 2012, at 7:30 PM, Pedro Giffuni wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> ...
>>>>> If there were a way to make people members of the
>>>>> (P)PMC without making them committers I am sure that
>>>>> would be used a lot but it would seem meritocratically
>>>>> incorrect to bring into the PPMC people that are not
>>>>> committers but not offer the same opportunity to
>>>>> committers by default.
>>>>
>>>> Keep it simple. So Committer first and then (P)PMC. Think of concentric
>>>> circles with code being on one sector, but with many other sectors that
>>>> differ from project to project.
>>>>
>>>
>>> definitely +1 on this.
>>>
>>> Committers first...
>>>
>>>
>>>>
>>>> If the (P)PMC decides someone needs to be both then I think we'll need to
>>>> hold sequential votes. Again to avoid complications.
>>>>
>>>> Regards,
>>>> Dave
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> -Rob
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> Regards,
>>>>>> Dave
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Pretty much in line to what you are thinking.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Pedro.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> --- Dom 3/6/12, Yong Lin Ma<[email protected]>  ha scritto:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> This was a discussion about rules of
>>>>>>>>> voting for new committer and PPMC
>>>>>>>>> member. We think it is more appropriate to let all
>>>>>>>>> contributors get
>>>>>>>>> involved in this. So I moved the discussion to ooo-dev.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> General process about voting in a new committer and PPMC
>>>>>>>>> member is here
>>>>>>>>> http://incubator.apache.org/guides/ppmc.html
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> By far the practice is most candidates were voted for
>>>>>>>>> committer and
>>>>>>>>> PPMC member at the same time.
>>>>>>>>> And no concreate critrial defined in public for AOO.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Your comments are welcomed.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> A comment from Rob:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> If it were entirely up to me I'd have it be like:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> 1) Contributor -- anyone who contributes to the project,
>>>>>>>>> mailing list
>>>>>>>>> discussions, patches, translations, bug reports, doc,
>>>>>>>>> support.� This
>>>>>>>>> comes in all flavors and sizes.� We need to do a better
>>>>>>>>> job giving
>>>>>>>>> them credit and acknowledging their contributions.� If
>>>>>>>>> the feeling is
>>>>>>>>> that someone is not valued unless they are voted in as a
>>>>>>>>> PPMC member,
>>>>>>>>> then we're doing something wrong.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> 2) Committer -- The threshold question:� Do we
>>>>>>>>> trust their judgement
>>>>>>>>> with respect to the area of their contributions?� The
>>>>>>>>> move from
>>>>>>>>> contributor to committer is a move from RTC (patches must be
>>>>>>>>> reviewed)
>>>>>>>>> to CTR.� So we really need to have a sense that they
>>>>>>>>> are doing quality
>>>>>>>>> work.� Committers also have veto rights on all of our
>>>>>>>>> commits.� So we
>>>>>>>>> need to trust their judgement.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> 3) PMC member -- The threshold question:� Do they
>>>>>>>>> understand The
>>>>>>>>> Apache Way and our community-based decision making? On
>>>>>>>>> average are
>>>>>>>>> they solving more community problems than they are
>>>>>>>>> causing?� Are they
>>>>>>>>> helping others in the community succeed?� When we
>>>>>>>>> graduate, and our
>>>>>>>>> Mentors move on to other podlings, the PMC collectively
>>>>>>>>> needs to
>>>>>>>>> mentor new members to the project.� So I think the PMC
>>>>>>>>> is more about
>>>>>>>>> trusting their community skills rather than their technical
>>>>>>>>> skills.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> It might be possible for someone to qualify for 2 and 3
>>>>>>>>> at the same
>>>>>>>>> time.� But probably not in every case.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Note:� This is not how we have operated
>>>>>>>>> previously.� I think there was
>>>>>>>>> an bootstrapping issue where we needed to have a PPMC
>>>>>>>>> suitably large
>>>>>>>>> and diverse to provide balance.� We also obviously
>>>>>>>>> started with a PPMC
>>>>>>>>> consisting of people who did not fully understand
>>>>>>>>> Apache.� That is the
>>>>>>>>> nature of Incubation.� But I don't think this approach
>>>>>>>>> is necessarily
>>>>>>>>> something we should continue with a year later, as we
>>>>>>>>> approach
>>>>>>>>> graduation.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>>
>>>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>>>>> MzK
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> "So let it rock, let it roll
>>>>>>> Let the bible belt come and save my soul
>>>>>>> Hold on to sixteen as long as you can
>>>>>>> Changes come around real soon make us woman and men."
>>>>>>>         -- "Jack and Diane", John Mellencamp
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>> MzK
>>>
>>> "So let it rock, let it roll
>>> Let the bible belt come and save my soul
>>> Hold on to sixteen as long as you can
>>> Changes come around real soon make us woman and men."
>>>                               -- "Jack and Diane", John Mellencamp
>>
>

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