+1 (binding) --Chris Nauroth
On 6/19/15, 12:15 AM, "Jacopo Cappellato" <jaco...@apache.org> wrote: >Following the discussion in the thread [1], I would like to call a VOTE >to accept Freemarker as a new Apache Incubator project. > >The proposal is available on the wiki at [2] and is also attached to this >mail. > >The VOTE is open for at least the next 72 hours: > >[ ] +1 accept Freemarker into the Apache Incubator >[ ] ±0 Abstain >[ ] -1 because... > >Thank you, > >Jacopo Cappellato > >1. >http://mail-archives.apache.org/mod_mbox/incubator-general/201505.mbox/%3c >ccefe3ed-66c4-4766-a3d2-6d8bda855...@gmail.com%3e > >2. >https://wiki.apache.org/incubator/FreemarkerProposal > >====================================================== > >Freemarker Apache Incubator Proposal > >Abstract > >Freemarker is a "template engine", i.e., a generic tool to generate text >output based on templates. Freemarker is implemented in Java as a class >library for programmers. > >Freemarker is a mature, widely used template engine. We propose to make >Freemarker a top level project of the Apache Software Foundation, >primarily so that it can build a stronger developer community, which >provides more safety, stability and support to the large user base, and >also helps evolving the engine and its integration with other projects >(many of which are Apache projects). > >Proposal > >Freemarker is a "template engine"; a generic tool that generates text >output (HTML web pages, e-mails, configuration files, source code, etc.) >based on templates and changing data. It's not an application for >end-users in itself, but a Java library, a component that programmers can >embed into their products. > >Freemarker was originally created for generating HTML Web pages, >particularly in servlet-based applications following the MVC pattern. >It¹s not bound to servlets or HTML, however. > >The Freemarker Template Language (FTL) is not a full-blown programming >language like PHP. It¹s a simple, specialized language (although among >template languages it¹s quite flexible). You meant to prepare the data to >display in a real programming language, like issue database queries and >do business calculations, and then the template displays that already >prepared data. > >Freemarker 1.x was initially released under the LGPL license. Later, by >community consensus, we have switched over to a BSD-style license. As of >Freemarker 2.2pre1 (2003), the original author, Benjamin Geer, has >relinquished the copyright in behalf of Visigoth Software Society, a >nonprofit organization started by Jonathan Revusky. With Freemarker >2.3.21 (2014) the license has changed to Apache License, Version 2.0, and >the owner has changed from Visigoth Software Society to three of the >Freemarker 2.x developers, Attila Szegedi, Daniel Dekany, and Jonathan >Revusky. Apache License, Version 2.0, is the current license. > >Freemarker is a mature, widely used template engine. While it continues >to have a large user base, the active developer community has become >rather small at this point, and we think that the "Apache Way" governance >model and being part of the ASF (together with other projects that are >already using Freemarker) would help to bring new life and energy to the >project to better support the maintenance and improvements of the >Freemarker codebase. A larger community may also help to improve tooling >(such as IDE plugins) and integration with popular frameworks (such as >Spring MVC, Struts, etc.), which could foster the adoption of Freemarker. >Last but not least, being under the Apache umbrella would put the project >into a more trustworthy legal context, which also helps adoption, >particularly among bigger corporate users. > >We believe that Freemarker should become a Top Level Project as opposed >to a subproject because it has a long history and already a large feature >set, codebase and documentation and there is a lot of room for innovation >and improvement that would involve more community management; governance >and autonomy to make its own direction and manage its own community may >be important long term factors for the success of the project. > >Background > >A template engine is a template language with the basic infrastructure >around it (configuring, caching, etc.). A template language is a language >specialized on generating text based on changing data. Template languages >like Freemarker Template Language are by design much simpler than general >purpose languages, while providing convenient specialized language >devices for tasks that are frequent during text generation. > >Template engines, like Freemarker, play an important role in applications >that leverage the MVC (Model View Controller) pattern; for example, >several web applications and web application framework implement the MVC >pattern in the user interface layer: the appearance of a page can be >changed without programmers having to change or recompile code, because >the application logic (for example a Java program or a Groovy script) and >page design (for example a Freemarker template) are separated. Freemarker >is used to implement the View (V) component of the MVC pattern. > >Freemarker is also used for generating e-mail, configuration files, and >pretty much anything that¹s text. The same governing MVC principles apply >there too, which helps to split the problem to more manageable pieces. > >Rationale > >Freemarker is a mature, stable, proven and feature rich template engine. > >While there are multiple alternative template engines for Java, after >more than 15 years of life, Freemarker is still one of the most >featureful and most widely used product in the category of templating >engines for the Java platform. Despite its age, Freemarker still has >potential to improve its functionality without breaking out-of-the-box >backward compatibility, like fixing historical design mishaps, adopting >proven ideas from template languages of other platforms, or to innovate >with novel solutions to common templating problems. > >Freemarker is integrated in several proprietary and open source products >such as Apache Struts, Apache OFBiz, Apache Camel, Liferay, Alfresco, >Magnolia, and new open source frameworks such as Moqui. Some popular >IDEs, including IntelliJ and Eclipse, have plugins for the development of >Freemarker templates. > >With Freemarker joining the ASF, we hope that more developers would be >able to join the effort and help improve and maintain the codebase, build >new features and tools that could foster the long-term future of the >product. > >Current Status > >Freemarker is a mature product created and maintained by a small open >source community for more than 15 years. > >Currently Freemarker provides a fully functional implementation licensed >under ALv2. The project home is at http://freemarker.org/ and the >majority of development is coordinated via Sourceforge >(https://sourceforge.net/projects/freemarker/) and GitHub >(https://github.com/freemarker/freemarker). > >The project sports detailed documentation and a big ecosystem of projects >leveraging it. In fact, quite a few existing ASF project have various >integrations with Freemarker (OFBiz, Struts, Camel etc.). > >Meritocracy > >Freemarker has been run by a few core project members with a few >contributions coming from a wide community of participants in the >project. In the past, core project members have emerged because of their >activity and merits as contributors. The Freemarker community is open to >new ideas and to revisit old ones. > >The committers and contributors that were actively involved in the >project will be encouraged to join the new incubating community. > >We want to expand our developer and user community and run the Freemarker >project in the "Apache Way" clearly signaling not only the licensing, but >also the governance choice. > >Users and new contributors will be treated with respect and welcomed; >they will earn merit in the project by providing quality patches and >support that move the project forward. Those with a proven support and >quality patch track record will be encouraged to become committers. >Committers that will work for the growth and health of the community will >be invited to become PMC members. > >Community > >There are currently just a few active core team members in the project >and a small group of occasional contributors. The user base is quite >large and composed by end users (developers using Freemarker for their >job) and other open source projects. > >Core Developers > >Core developers are used to work in the openly governed communities. The >core developers are not currently affiliated with the ASF. > >Alignment > >The Freemarker product is already licensed under ALv2 and has been >created and maintained by an open source community for more than a >decade. Freemarker has been integrated into Apache OFBiz, Apache Struts, >Apache Camel, Apache Tiles and other projects. Becoming part of the ASF >family can strengthen the collaboration with these and other projects. > >Known Risks > >While the Freemarker product is stable and very widely used, in the >recent years the active core developer community practically has shrunk >to one person (Daniel Dekany). The core group should grow by attracting >new contributors in order to ensure continued maintenance in the future, >and to win resources that helps Freemarker to evolve faster next to the >maintenance burden. > >In fact, if Freemarker will be accepted in the Incubator, the main goal >during the incubation phase will be attracting new contributors and >growing the community with an "Apache Way" governance model. > >Orphaned products > >The Freemarker project is backed up by an open source community that has >created and maintained the product for more than 15 years. > >Inexperience with Open Source > >The proposers are experienced open source developers. Freemarker to date >has been developed as an open source project. > >Homogeneous Developers > >The Freemarker community is not backed up by any corporation and is >diverse in terms of geography and backgrounds of developers. > >Reliance on Salaried Developers > >The Freemarker contributors are volunteers that are not paid for their >contributions to the project. > >Relationships with Other Apache Products > >Freemarker is an independent product but there are some relationships >with other Apache products. Freemarker currently uses some Apache >products, mostly in its build process (for example Apache Ant, Apache >Ivy, Apache Xalan). Freemarker has been integrated into other Apache >products such as Apache OFBiz, Apache Struts, Apache Camel, Apache Tiles. >Becoming part of the ASF family could strengthen the collaboration with >these and other projects. Apache Velocity is similar in purpose to >Freemarker and both address similar needs for a template language in text >generating applications. However Freemarker and Apache Velocity have a >very different philosophy, design and implementation and there is a >sufficient user base and history for both projects to justify their >independent existence. > >An Excessive Fascination with the Apache Brand > >While we intend to leverage the Apache Œbranding¹ when talking to other >projects as testament of our project¹s Œneutrality¹, we have no plans for >making use of Apache brand in press releases nor posting billboards >advertising acceptance of Freemarker into Apache Incubator. > >Documentation > >A mature project website is available at freemarker.org. In the website a >complete manual is available: http://freemarker.org/docs/index.html > >Initial Source > >Initial source is available on GitHub under the ALv2: > > € https://github.com/freemarker/freemarker: The template engine itself > € https://github.com/freemarker/site: Generates the freemarker.org Web >site > € https://github.com/freemarker/docgen: Transforms an XDocBook subset to >HTML; used for the Freemarker Manual. (Also for the Web site in the >future.) > >Source and Intellectual Property Submission Plan > >We know of no legal encumberments in the way of transfer of source to >Apache. The copyright holders are the three main contributors in the >history of the project, of which one is the current maintainer and main >actor in this incubation process. The other two have been contacted to >sign the Software License Agreement. > >External Dependencies > >The dependencies all have Apache compatible licenses. > >Required Resources > >Mailing lists > > € priv...@freemarker.incubator.apache.org (moderated subscriptions) > € d...@freemarker.incubator.apache.org > € notificati...@freemarker.incubator.apache.org (commits, CI reports) > >Git Repository > > € https://git-wip-us.apache.org/repos/asf/incubator-freemarker.git: the >template engine itself > € https://git-wip-us.apache.org/repos/asf/incubator-freemarker-site.git: >generates the freemarker.org Web site > € >https://git-wip-us.apache.org/repos/asf/incubator-freemarker-docgen.git: >transforms an XDocBook subset to HTML; used for the Freemarker Manual >(also for the Web site in the future). > >Issue Tracking > >JIRA Freemarker (FREEMARKER) > >Initial Committers > > € Dániel Dékány, ddekany at freemail.hu > € Evangelia Dendramis, evangeliad at gmail.com > >Affiliations > > € Independent: Dániel Dékány > € Independent: Evangelia Dendramis > >Sponsors > >Champion > >Jacopo Cappellato > >Nominated Mentors > > € David E. Jones - Apache Member > € Jacopo Cappellato - Apache Member > € Jean-Frederic Clere - Incubator PMC > € Ralph Goers - Incubator PMC > € Sergio Fernández - Incubator PMC > >Sponsoring Entity > >We would like to propose Apache Incubator to sponsor this project. > --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: general-unsubscr...@incubator.apache.org For additional commands, e-mail: general-h...@incubator.apache.org
