Comparing the Codehaus manifesto to Apache
October 21st, 2005 by HenCodehaus manifesto
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The Codehaus recognizes that some committers, based upon metrics, longevity and appointed management, have greater say on a project than others.
The Codehaus is a place where people are encouraged to get on with code rather than tie their projects up with bureaucracy.
The Codehaus encourages projects to strive for quality and for frequent small releases.
The Codehaus encourages committers to be respectful friends, meet up with each other as often as possible. Face-to-face is superior to email.
The Codehaus stands in favour of diversity (where appropriate) over enforced convergence and homogeneity.
The Codehaus places a high bar on entry for committers. Referral is a common means. A new committer is expected to show strong character elements as well as a talent for code. New committers may be subject to a number of moderated questions or even a chat with Bob The Despot. Maturity and wisdom (possibly in advance of years if a youngster) should be demonstrated.
New committers to an existing project are expected to ease themselves in with small and deferrent commits to start, and greater free-will may be assumed later.
The Codehaus places a high bar on entry for projects. They should be released or near it.
The Codehaus encourages people to be brief in email and to honor internet etiquette. Ten furlongs of text justifying a position is poor form; better would be a (failing) unit test.
In case of disagreement, Bob The Despot is right.
Apache comparison
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* The ASF believes strongly that all committers on a PMC have equal say. Committers don’t immediately join the PMC in most cases, and members have a greater say than non-members, even if not committers on the project itself.
* The ASF encourages code not bureaucracy, provided there is sufficient oversight to ensure the committers actions are legal.
* +1 to quality and small releases, though this is up to individual projects.
* Public email conversations are preferred to private conversations. Face to face is however used (ApacheCon, Hackathons) and phone conferencing (board meetings).
* The ASF tends towards standardisation across projects, but is only lightly enforced via a preference to use ASF hardware and a limit on the availability of ASF hardware and support volunteers.
* The bar for committer entry is up to individual projects. Member entry is based on member voting/referral.
* Bar for entry for a project is based on understanding of the ASF concepts and system. The Incubator exists to teach this system and to a lesser extent the concepts. Members in general exist to pass on the concepts.
* Email netiquette is left to the individual mailing lists.
* In case of disagreement, the board is right. However the board are democratically elected by the members (though not necessarily from the members).