Danushka, What you describe "open source product is not a property of any individual or a team of developers" is a great Utopian ideal, but that is not the reality. It doesn't matter how one slices or dices it, every open source I have ever encountered, big or small, always has a gatekeeper (either an individual or a team). The gatekeeper of course is the person(s) that controls what goes into the office source code. Does that mean the source code is the property of the gatekeeper? No, but it does make them responsible, they are the final word on what gets added and what doesn't.
The Utopian ideal is a great ideal, but it is exactly that, an ideal. If the gatekeeper doesn't try to foster the ideal, it won't exists, quite the opposite will exists, one where the gatekeeper is the master and the users nothing more then subjects. When the gatekeeper replies with something with "we do not really need connections for our engine.", it does not create the Utopian atmosphere, nor does it create an atmosphere conducive to others taking initiative. As far as simply taking initiative and making a move: Well, one thing I have learned is that there has been a lot of thought and more importantly design that has gone into making Axis2/C what it is today. With my years of experience as a software developer, I have learned that rushing in and making core changes to a complex system like Axis2/C can be fatal. So, some guidance from those that know the design inside and out is very useful. Example: The APR issue, now that I understand the big picture (the design), I understand why it is not in use in Axis2. So, when I ask "how does one do xyz" and the reply from the gatekeeper is "we don't need that", it seems to me that any effort on my part to add such a feature would never get past the gatekeeper, fore the gatekeeper has already state it isn't needed, thus any desire to take an initiative and make a move is killed before it ever began. In the end, the gatekeeper is welcome to do with his gate as he pleases, fore it IS his gate. Since I know where I stand with respect to the gate, I will go off else where and play. Sam On Wed, Jul 14, 2010 at 1:30 AM, Danushka Menikkumbura < [email protected]> wrote: > "Great idea, it isn't something we can fit into to development for a while, >> but write it up as a feature request in Jiri. Meanwhile if it something you >> need it sooner, please feel free to add it and submit the feature in Jiri." >> >> Then I would have been more than welcome to contribute my changes. >> > > Sam, > > My gut feeling is that you need to learn a lot about how the open source > model works. An open source product is not a property of an individual or a > team of developers. Its just open as in anybody is free to contribute and at > the end of the day everybody will make use of it. Not only does it apply to > Axis2 but it equally applies to any other great OS product out there. > Therefore do not wait until someone invites you to make a contribution. Take > initiative and make a move. Maybe your thing will be accepted, maybe not. > That does not imply the dev community is conservative or anything. Basically > thats how it works. You have to live with it. > > Thanks, > Danushka >
