This whole thread was launched, if I read Ross' remark correctly, by my doing something stupid. I've apologized. It's not at all clear to me that my mistake is example of a common kind of stupidity.
I perceive, however, an ambiguity. The phrase 'proper IP verification,' more or less, has echoed down this thread. What is it? Can anyone define it? It has better not, for example, mean 'scanned every file in the release for an appropriate header.' A release is the result of a process. The job of the incubator is to teach podlings that process. A real 'full IP verification' would involve tracing all the IP back through the commits -- and, ultimately, that the committers are committing their own work. That's clearly not going to happen. Instead, what's supposed to happen is that IPMC members are supplementing and supervising the PPMC members in policing themselves. NOTICE, LICENSE, and all of that are the "limbs and outward flourishes" of the process. There are some subtleties to their correct construction, and the 'release task force' is a means of harnessing expertise to check them. If a podling is getting proper attention from its mentors, then IPMC members should have confidence in the process. They should be able to check the big-ticket items, make a few spot-checks, and thus contribute a level of extra assurance. If a podling has not been getting proper attention from its mentors for a very long time, it needs new mentors, and those mentors need to invest effort in making up for prior inattention. At the risk of further reopening lengthy threads of a year ago, I'll pose a question: what does it mean to be a member of the IPMC? Membership in any PMC is an acceptance of collective responsibility for supervision of the activities in of the PMC. You can dig into the details of one or more podlings and be a mentor. You can help cross-check and be a shepherd. Just hanging out and voting for proposals and graduations? In spite of this rhetorical flourish, my argument above agrees with Marvin. Podlings need mentors who pay attention. --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: general-unsubscr...@incubator.apache.org For additional commands, e-mail: general-h...@incubator.apache.org
