My views on the Sakai/Jasig merger

[Seth Theriault]

Hello,

Like others, I have posted a blog entry describing my views about
the proposed Sakai/Jasig merger:

http://bit.ly/RYNVbH

I invite you to read my post and and leave comments or reactions
in this thread.

Thanks,

Seth

[Alan Berg]

I welcome the fact that you set up an open and honest conversation. This is healthy communication. I am curious to see the responses to your blog.

Alan

[David Adams]

Thanks, Seth, for starting this discussion. Having reviewed your blog post and the documents at apereo.org, I do have a few questions, all relating to details that I understand probably haven't been worked out, but which I think are the most critical factors in making this decision.

* What "incubation" entails is completely missing from the current Apereo documents beyond some vague promises on the FAQ page[1]. Is the intent to essentially use the Jasig incubation system/process[2] or is a major change envisioned? I think a lot of the "known risks" listed on Apache's Incubator proposal guide page[3] are worth a review.

[1] http://www.apereo.org/faqs

[2] https://wiki.jasig.org/display/INCU/Incubation+Process

[3] http://incubator.apache.org/guides/proposal.html#template-known-risks

* Will existing Jasig and Sakai projects and committees be grandfathered in as "Software Communities" and "Communities of Interest" under Apereo, with the assumption they will be able to meet the self-governance guidelines, or will there be a review and approval process? Assuming no additional review, what are the Software Communities and Communities of Interest that will be established with the establishment of Apereo?

* More specifically re the last question, will Sakai CLE and Sakai OAE be considered one or separate "software communities" after the merger?

* What support is implied for a Software Community within Apereo?

* What level review will existing Software Communities be subject to? Is there a mechanism to "pull the plug" on a project that no longer meets the standards or mission of Apereo?

Thanks again, Seth! And anyone else who chooses to respond.

-dave

[Ian Dolphin]

Some quick comments on the specific points inline

On 24 Oct 2012, at 17:27, David Adams <dave...@gmail.com> wrote:

Thanks, Seth, for starting this discussion. Having reviewed your blog post and the documents at apereo.org, I do have a few questions, all relating to details that I understand probably haven't been worked out, but which I think are the most critical factors in making this decision.

* What "incubation" entails is completely missing from the current Apereo documents beyond some vague promises on the FAQ page[1]. Is the intent to essentially use the Jasig incubation system/process[2] or is a major change envisioned? I think a lot of the "known risks" listed on Apache's Incubator proposal guide page[3] are worth a review.

[1] http://www.apereo.org/faqs

[2] https://wiki.jasig.org/display/INCU/Incubation+Process

[3] http://incubator.apache.org/guides/proposal.html#template-known-risks

It is the intention to take the current Jasig incubation process as a starting point, and subject that process to community review and, where necessary, further iteration and development. Drawing in the experience of the Sakai community to inform that further development is an essential element. Our colleagues in ESUP, a consortium of French institutions, have also indicated their willingness to participate in the further development of the incubation process. 

* Will existing Jasig and Sakai projects and committees be grandfathered in as "Software Communities" and "Communities of Interest" under Apereo, with the assumption they will be able to meet the self-governance guidelines, or will there be a review and approval process? Assuming no additional review, what are the Software Communities and Communities of Interest that will be established with the establishment of Apereo?

By and large, existing projects will be admitted as is. Most projects have either proceeded through incubation already, or are longstanding. An exception will be that of Sakai OAE, which is currently undergoing considerable change on several levels. The current Sakai Board recommended that this should be considered by the Apereo Board, should the merger proceed.

* More specifically re the last question, will Sakai CLE and Sakai OAE be considered one or separate "software communities" after the merger?

Yes, but see the point above regarding incubation.

* What support is implied for a Software Community within Apereo?

Technical infrastructure, inbound and outbound licensing support, outreach, communication and promotion, engagement and participation in conferences are the starting points. Whilst the Apereo will have access to more resources than either existing organisation, these points should be viewed from the perspective of a lightly staffed organisation. If I might interject a purely personal view - the greatest resource Apereo will draw on will be that of the shared experience of people who form the communities within it. 

* What level review will existing Software Communities be subject to? Is there a mechanism to "pull the plug" on a project that no longer meets the standards or mission of Apereo?

To be determined, but I would be confident that this would be a topic of early conversation should the merger proceed.

HTH

Ian

Thanks again, Seth! And anyone else who chooses to respond.

-dave

On Monday, October 22, 2012 10:34:24 PM UTC-5, Seth Theriault wrote:

Hello,

Like others, I have posted a blog entry describing my views about
the proposed Sakai/Jasig merger:

http://bit.ly/RYNVbH

I invite you to read my post and and leave comments or reactions
in this thread.

Thanks,

Seth

--

Apologies for typos and brevity - sent from a mobile device

iando...@sakaifoundation.org

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Twitter: iandolphin24

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