Author: buildbot
Date: Thu Jun 2 13:42:49 2011
New Revision: 790378
Log:
Staging update by buildbot
Modified:
websites/staging/community/trunk/content/contributors/index.html
Modified: websites/staging/community/trunk/content/contributors/index.html
==============================================================================
--- websites/staging/community/trunk/content/contributors/index.html (original)
+++ websites/staging/community/trunk/content/contributors/index.html Thu Jun 2
13:42:49 2011
@@ -103,9 +103,9 @@
<DIV class="wiki-content">
<p>This page is intended for those people who are
reasonably
comfortable with open source development models but need a helping hand
finding
-their way around The Apache Software Foundation.</p>
-<p>At the time of writing we don't have much here, so we suggest you mail us
-with your questions.</p>
+their way around The Apache Software Foundation and our way of developing
software
+(commonly called "The Apache Way"). For those wishing to start from
+the very beginning we have a <a href="/newcomers/index.html">newcomers
page</a> too.</p>
<h2 id="project_independence">Project Independence</h2>
<p>While not all aspects of the Apache Way are practiced the same way by
all projects at the ASF, there are a number of rules that Apache
@@ -118,6 +118,45 @@ environemnt in which all participants ar
opportunity to contribute to and benefit from our software, regardless
of motivation or financial objectives. This is discussed in more detail
in our document <a href="/projectIndependence.html">Project
Independence</a>.</p>
+<h2 id="from_contributor_to_committer">From contributor to committer</h2>
+<p>Anyone can be a contributor to an Apache project. Being a contributor
simply means
+that you take an interest in the project and contribute in some way, ranging
from asking
+sensible questions (which documents the project and provides feedback to
developers)
+through to providing new features as patches.</p>
+<p>If you become a valuable contributor to the project you may well be invited
to become
+a committer. Committer is an term used at the ASF to signify someone who is
+committed to a particular project. It brings with it the privilege of right
access to
+the project repository and resources. In many projects committers are also
invited
+to be part of the core group within the project that ensures the project's
vitality
+(represented by the Project Management Committee, PMC). In a few projects a
only a subset of
+committers, who have earned even more merit, are invited to be a part of the
PMC.</p>
+<p>One thing that is sometimes hard to understand when you are new to the open
+development1 process used at the ASF, is that we value the community more than
+the code. A strong and healthy community will be respectful and be a fun and
+rewarding place. Strong code will evolve. </p>
+<h3 id="contributing_to_the_project_-_copdoc">Contributing to the Project -
CoPDoC</h3>
+<p>The foundations of an Apache project and how the community contributes to
it is
+sometimes referred to by the acronym CoPDoC:</p>
+<ul>
+<li>(Co)mmunity - one must interact with others, and share vision and
knowledge</li>
+<li>(P)roject - a clear vision and consensus are needed</li>
+<li>(Do)cumentation - without it, the stuff remains only in the minds of the
authors</li>
+<li>(C)ode - discussion goes nowhere without code</li>
+</ul>
+<h3 id="becoming_a_committer">Becoming a Committer</h3>
+<p>There is nothing at The Apache Software Foundation that says you must write
code
+in order to be a committer. Anyone who is supportive of the community and
works
+in any of the CoPDoC areas is a likely candidate for committership.</p>
+<p>Apache is a meritocracy. That is, once someone has contributed sufficiently
to
+any area of CoPDoC they can be voted in as a committer. Being a committer does
+not mean you commit code, it means you are committed to the project.</p>
+<p>One of the key contributions people can make to the community is through
the
+support of a wide user base by assisting users on the user list, writing user
+oriented docs and ensuring the user viewpoint is understood by all developers.
+A main idea behind being a committer is the ability to be a mentor and to work
+cooperatively with your peers.</p>
+<p>Some of those users become committers in their own write. Some will test
code,
+some will write documentation, some will do bug triage and some will write
code.</p>
<h2 id="questions_and_feedback">Questions and Feedback</h2>
<p>Feedback can be provided and questions asked by subscribing to our mailing
list by sending a mail to
