"J.Pietschmann" wrote:
> 
> Stefano Mazzocchi wrote:
> >
> > Many thanks for the clarification.
> >
> > Ok, people, I'm sure there is some patching to do now :)
> >
> It would be interesting whether there would be a project
> responsible for some "commonly used" documentation.
> For example:
>   - Understanding the Apache license :-)

eh eh, you'll be happy to know that yesterday I submitted a patch
exactly for this for the 'almost-to-be-released-after-years' Apache
License 2.0, which is going to be:

 1) GPL compatible [means: GPL code can use Apache code without forcing
to make it GPL. Of course, the other way around is impossible by GPL
definition] [WARNING: RMS disagrees but we decided not to care, since
apparently he doesn't want any license to be compatible with the GPL
except the GPL itself]

 2) protects from patent infringments

 3) covers both "inward" and "outward" changes: means that the license
also include the contributor agreement that otherwise you'd have to sign
if you are a committer (and we normally don't, unless your contribution
is substantial and maybe legally controversial)

 4) can be located in just one place of the distro! the code will
contain a very small placeholder (this will reduce the size of our code
by at least 10% on average, expecially on java which has many small
files)

 5) it is extensible. Means that you can use it for your own stuff,
without having to modify it and without having to give copyright to the
ASF.

 6) trademark, brand protection and major contribution credits are
included in a separate file, so that every Apache project can share the
same LICENSE file and just attach a different NOTICE file.

The suggested patch adds http://www.apache.org/licenses/ right below the
"Apache License 2.0" title: we aim to place in that location all the
information and non-legalese translations about the licensing and legal
issues of the ASF and the AL.

>   - Understanding URIs and URLs

Well, this should be a W3C effort :)

>   - Understanding the Java classpath and other common
>    Java related problems and the like.

This sounds like a java.sun.com effort.

Don't get me wrong, I agree all these things are pretty hard to get and
few people know them in full details, but that's life and as long as
there is crosspollination between the lists (or somebody points to a RFC
or to a maillist message) I think we are set.

Note also, that Apache doesn't host non-software-related projects,
unless strictly connected to their software counterparts (like
httpd-docs, for example)

> All these cause FAQs for all Apache projects I've watched.

We are going to remove your first concern. But I don't think I would
venture to try to fix the other two around apacheland.

> Instead of having each project answering this stuff for
> itself, it could be handled globally and only referenced
> by the project FAQs or included from a repository (the
> "short form"). Would this fit the Forrest project? Or
> Avalon or XML Commons? Or should some sort of "Apache
> encyclopedia" be spawned?

I think it's hard enough to create docs for one project. Created such
'common docs' would be a real nightmare... but I won't stop any
contributions, just I don't know who should handle them :/

-- 
Stefano Mazzocchi      One must still have chaos in oneself to be
                          able to give birth to a dancing star.
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>                             Friedrich Nietzsche
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