[PROPOSAL] Avalon Components

I propose that the Avalon Project creates a subproject called "Avalon
Components", where non-core Avalon committers can work on Avalon
components.

It would work conceptually like Jakarta Commons, and have its sandbox 
open to all *Apache* committers. On the Avalon Components "proper", the 
commit rights would be:
  - all Avalon committers
  - all committers that have been voted in by
     Avalon+Avalon Component committers

When one is a committer on Avalon Components, he can commit on any part 
of the repository, not just the components that originally interested him.

The main reason to make this here at Avalon is to have real contact with
the users of Avalon, and have them actively partecipate in the component
development. Avalon has had great benefit from the partecipation had in
the last month of outer-avalon developers of projects that use Avalon,
and we would like it to continue.

This subproject would help create a clear and longstanding relationship
with our users.

More practically, it would unite Excalibur and Cornerstone, and make it 
possible for James developers to fix the Cornerstone components that are 
driving them mad directly in the repository, and facilitate the usage 
and fixing of our components by interested Turbine developers.

There were two issues brought up about this happening.

Leo Simmons correctly reminded that there is an Apache Commons project, 
that could make a cool repository for all Avalon Components for all 
Apache projects.

IMHO we are still far away from that possibility. I really don't think 
that in the short-mid term Turbine or James developers would want to 
move their stuff into that repo, because there is no real need. What 
they would do, is to partecipate in the *generic* components, that we 
would keep here, in Avalon Components.

Then Stephen McConnell wrote:
> 
> It is my understanding that the notion of an avalon-components is out of 
> scope of the Avalon Project.
> 
>  RESOLVED, that the Avalon PMC be and hereby is responsible
>  for the creation and maintenance of software related to
>  component and service management, based on software licensed
>  to the Foundation;

But as you also correctly point out:

> Resolution of the conflict between this position and the existing 
> Cornerstone and Apps CVS is addressed under the resolution:
> 
>  RESOLVED, that the initial Avalon PMC be and hereby is tasked
>  with the migration and rationalization of the Jakarta PMC
>  Avalon subproject;

That does not address the possibility of moving code outside of the
project, or keeping it ourselves.

I think that the creation of Avalon Components is part of the " 
migration and rationalization" objective that the board has given us.

I have not yet recieved public answer from the question I gave to the 
board about this. TO resolve this, I propose that we ask the board to 
retify an addendum at the next meeting for our charter *if* they decide 
that it's needed for this subproject creation:

   RESOLVED, that the Avalon PMC be and hereby is responsible
   for the creation and maintenance of software related to
   component and service management, and components and services
   themselves designed to operate in it, based on software licensed
   to the Foundation;


-- 
Nicola Ken Barozzi                   [email protected]
             - verba volant, scripta manent -
    (discussions get forgotten, just code remains)
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