[X] +1 Accept MetaModel into the Apache incubator (binding) Regards, Arvind Prabhakar
On Thu, Jun 6, 2013 at 3:30 PM, Henry Saputra <henry.sapu...@gmail.com>wrote: > Hi All, > > I'd like to call a VOTE for acceptance of MetaModel into the Apache > incubator. > The vote will close on June 12, 2013 at 6:00 PM (PST). > > [] +1 Accept MetaModel into the Apache incubator > [] +0 Don't care. > [] -1 Don't accept MetaModel into the incubator because... > > Full proposal is pasted at the bottom on this email, and the corresponding > wiki > is: > http://wiki.apache.org/incubator/MetaModelProposal. > > Only VOTEs from Incubator PMC members are binding, but all are welcome to > express their thoughts. > > Thanks, > > Henry Saputra > Champion for Apache MetaModel > > > P.S. Here's my +1 (binding) > > > ------------------------------------------------- > > = MetaModel – uniform data access across datastores = > > Proposal for Apache Incubator > > == Abstract == > > MetaModel is a data access framework, providing a common interface for > exploration and querying of different types of datastores. > > == Proposal == > > MetaModel provides a uniform meta-model for exploring and querying the > structure of datastores, covering but not limited to relational databases, > various data file formats, NoSQL databases, Salesforce.com, SugarCRM and > more. The scope of the project is to stay domain-agnostic, so the > meta-model will be concerned with schemas, tables, columns, rows, > relationships etc. > > On top of this meta-model a rich querying API is provided which resembles > SQL, but built using compiler-checked Java language constructs. For > datastores that do not have a native SQL-compatible query engine, the > MetaModel project also includes an abstract Java-based query engine > implementation which individual datastore-modules can adapt to fit the > concrete datastore. > > === Background === > > The MetaModel project was initially developed by eobject.dk to service the > DataCleaner application (http://datacleaner.org). The main requirement was > to perform data querying and modification operations on a wide range of > quite different datastores. Furthermore a programmatic query model was > needed in order to allow different components to influence the query plan. > > In 2009, Human Inference acquired the eobjects projects including > MetaModel. Since then MetaModel has been put to extensive use in the Human > Inference products. The open source nature of the project was reinforced, > leading to a significant growth in the community. > > MetaModel has successfully been used in a number of other open source > projects as well as mission critical commercial software from Human > Inference. Currently MetaModel is hosted at http://metamodel.eobjects.org. > > === Rationale === > > Different types of datastores have different characteristics, which always > lead to the interfaces for these being different from one another. > Standards like JDBC and the SQL language attempt to standardize data > access, but for some datastore types like flat files, spreadsheets, NoSQL > databases and more, such standards are not even implementable. > > Specialization in interfaces obviously has merit for optimized usage, but > for integration tools, batch applications and or generic data modification > tools, this myriad of specialized interfaces is a big pain. Furthermore, > being able to query every datastore with a basic set of SQL-like features > can be a great productivity boost for a wide range of applications. > > === Initial goals === > > MetaModel is already a stable project, so initial goals are more oriented > towards an adaption to the Apache ecosystem than about functional changes. > > We are constantly adding more datastore types to the portfolio, but the > core modules have not had drastic changes for some time. > > Our focus will be on making ties with other Apache projects (such as POI, > Gora, HBase and CouchDB) and potentially renaming the ‘MetaModel’ project > to something more rememberable. > This includes comply with Apache Software Foundation license for third > party dependencies. > > == Current status == > > === Meritocracy === > > We intend to do everything we can to encourage a meritocracy in the > development of MetaModel. Currently most important development and design > decisions have been made at Human Inference, but with an open window for > anyone to participate on mailing lists and discussion forums. We believe > that the approach going forward should be more encouraging by sharing all > the design ideas and discussions in the open, not only just the topics that > have been “dragged” into the open by third parties. We believe that > meritocracy will be further stimulated by granting the control of the > project to an independent committee. > > === Community === > > The community around MetaModel already exists, but we believe it will grow > substantially by becoming an Apache project. With MetaModel used in a wide > range of both open and closed source application, both at Human Inference > (HIquality MDM), it’s open source projects DataCleaner, SassyReader and > AnalyzerBeans and by other parties (such as the Quipo data warehouse > automation project), we believe that the critical mass to sustain a > community is there. > > === Core developers === > > MetaModel was founded by Kasper Sørensen in 2009. Later it was incorporated > as a core library by Human Inference, meaning that more than 20 developers > have been involved in its making in this commercial setting. Furthermore a > smaller number of contributors have submitted patches for the library. > Others have started building other interesting data-oriented libraries on > top of MetaModel, for instance the ‘vasc’ open source project by Willem > Cazander, which is an implementation of the Java Persistence API (JPA) for > all the datastores supported by MetaModel. > > === Alignment === > > MetaModel already makes good usage of existing Apache projects such as POI, > CouchDB and OpenOffice. Furthermore developers from the Apache Gora project > have indicated a need for a project like MetaModel to solve specific > uniform datastore access needs. > > == Known risks == > > === Orphaned products === > > The contributors and the contributing organization (Human Inference) have a > very strong dependence on MetaModel already and will continue to have that > for a long time. The continued need for this vendor to support new types of > datastores and maintain existing functionality will ensure that MetaModel > is not in the risk of being orphaned. > > === Inexperience with Open Source === > > MetaModel is already open source, and has been so for many years. Main > contributors of the project have also contributed to other open source > projects such as DataCleaner and Apache Mahout. The openness of Apache is > arguably more extensive, but we are only encouraged and delighted to be > handling the project in a more open manner. > > === Homogenous Developers === > > Frequent committers are currently located in Denmark, The Netherlands and > India. They are used to working in a distributed environment. > > === Reliance on Salaried Developers === > > Initial committers for MetaModel will depends on salaried based developers > to contribute to this project, but given the dependence on MetaModel from > both commercial and open source projects, the project would continue > without issue if no salaried developers contributed to the project. > > The goal is build diverse community to contribute back to MetaModel > project. > > === Relationship with Other Apache Products === > > MetaModel depends on several Apache products including: commons-lang, > commons-io, commons-codec, http-components, POI, CouchDB, OpenOffice and > XMLBeans. > > Furthermore MetaModel is built by Apache Maven. > > === An Excessive Fascination with the Apache Brand === > > The ASF has a strong brand, and that brand is in itself very attractive. > > We are interested in joining the ASF in order to increase our contacts and > visibility in the open source world. > Furthermore, we have been enthusiastic users of Apache Software Foundation > projects, and would feel honored by getting the opportunity to join and > contribute back to the community. > > == Documentation == > > Information on MetaModel can be found at: http://metamodel.eobjects.org > > === Initial source === > > MetaModel has been developed since 2009 and have undergone a couple of > major changes (indicated by the 2.x and 3.x versions). > > The code is used in mission critical systems and is considered very stable > and high performing. > > The source includes a fork of the xBaseJ project’s code, which will be > removed upon incubation. This code was originally GPL licensed, but granted > with a special license to MetaModel to be forked and relicensed using the > current LPGL license of MetaModel. > > Removal of the xBaseJ code will effectively mean that the Apache variant of > MetaModel will not have support for dBase database files. We imagine that > the dBase module could live on as a separate pluggable module under the > LGPL license, outside of Apache. > > === External dependencies === > > The dependencies all have Apache compatible licenses. These include BSD and > MIT licensed dependencies. > > == Required resources == > > === Mailing lists === > > * metamodel-private (with moderated subscription) > * metamodel-dev > * metamodel-commits > > === Subversion directory === > A subversion (http://svn.apache.org/repos/asf/incubator/metamodel/trunk/) > or git (https://git-wip-us.apache.org/repos/asf/incubator-metamodel.git) > repository is needed. > > Currently MetaModel’s code is hosted at > http://eobjects.org/svn/MetaModelbut will be moved to an Apache > repository. > > === Issue tracking === > > JIRA MetaModel (METAMODEL) > > === Other resources === > > We would like to have wiki page located at: > http://wiki.apache.org/MetaModel > > In later development phase a set of database servers (specifically MongoDB, > CouchDB, MySQL, PostgreSQL, MS SQL Server (Express), Firebird) should be > made available for integration testing. > Currently this is done internally at Human Inference. > > === Initial committers === > > Kasper Sørensen (i.am.kasper.sorensen [at] gmail.com), Project Founder, > works at Human Inference > > Ankit Kumar (ak.ankitkumar [at] gmail.com), works at Human Inference > > Sameer Arora (sameer11sep [at] gmail.com) > > Henry Saputra (hsaputra [at] apache.org) > > Juan José van der Linden (delostilos [at] gmail.com), works for Quipu > > Arvind Prabhakar (arvind at apache dot org) > > Matt Franklin (mfranklin at apache dot org) > > Noah Slater (nslater at apache dot org) > > > == Sponsors == > > === Champion === > > Henry Saputra (hsaputra at apache dot org) > > === Nominated mentors === > > Henry Saputra (hsaputra at apache dot org) > > Arvind Prabhakar (arvind at apache dot org) > > Matt Franklin (mfranklin at apache dot org) > > Noah Slater (nslater at apache dot org) > > === Sponsoring entity === > > The Apache Incubator. >
